Stargazer
by Suntiger
Summary: Astronomy is my hobby. Annoying people is what I do. But provoking vampires and getting myself nearly killed is definitely new. If there's a God, I beg to keep my sanity. Aidou/OC.
1. Of Stars

_Stop calling yourself that. Stop calling yourself fat._

But I'm not calling myself fat. It was my mother's voice that invaded my head and filled it up with those pestering thoughts. The voice that reminded me to exercise everyday even though I hated it and told me to diet—not that I ever did. Standing at five foot five and weighing 138 pounds, I was actually healthy according to my doctor. Did she listen? No. I wasn't model skinny or well toned like she desired me to be.

No sir. I wasn't fat.

_Why this ridiculous color? Don't you want to dye it? You'd fit in better that way…_

My hair is a crimson red. I'm the only child in the family with this bloody hair color-no pun intended. It was rare to find a person with true red hair so I wanted to keep it that way. It made me feel special—something Mother didn't and wouldn't understand.

It was two in the morning and as I adjusted my telescope, I blew my annoying bangs out of my eyes. Luckily for me it was a clear night so I could see the sparkling, beautiful stars.

I sighed.

I should try to block out her voice now, other wise I won't be able to concentrate on finding the constellations. So I imagined a middle-aged brunette in my mind, screaming of course, and locked her in a cage. Tonight I wasn't going to be with my nagging Mother or my boy-addicted roommate. I was going to be with the stars and **only** the stars.

I smiled and went back to work. I yanked my book bag closer to me and pulled out my charts and journal. Tonight Mars was in Sagittarius and the moon was in Pisces. I suppose that would translate as the God of War was in the sign of exploration and the Goddess of the hunt was in the sign of illusions and dreams.

Whatever that means.

I looked through my telescope, spotting Sirius right away and the constellation of Orion. Sadly, Orion wasn't going to be there much longer because it's spring and Orion was out during winter. Draco would soon take its place.

I paused for a moment, listening around me. I knew it was against the rules to be out this late. I had transferred from America a few months ago, but as soon as the Headmaster handed me the rulebook and guidance, which was really a map so I wouldn't get lost, I took out my English-Japanese dictionary and sat in the library so I could translate it all. I memorized all the rules and the locations that were off limits.

So I knew that if the Disciplinary Committee found me they would most likely kick my ass.

Despite the rules clearly stating that I wasn't allowed outside during the night, I couldn't help myself. I felt like I was being suffocated in my room and my roommate wasn't helping with her constant chatter about 'hot men attending the school'. I had pouted when I realized that I couldn't get a clear view of the sky because of the skyscraping trees that were outside my window.

Needless to say this place made me feel tiny.

Tall buildings, tall trees and tall people.

It just wasn't fair.

What annoyed me even more were the women. Every time they saw the Night class students, they suddenly transformed into insane, demonic _rapists_.

Speaking of the Night class students, what was up with them? How could anyone study during the night? And I do realize I'm being a hypocrite since I'm out star gazing, but didn't the Headmaster realize it was bad for people's health if they studied at night? It goes way back to caveman ages when we slept at night because it helped us stay alive while dangerous animals hunted and we couldn't see them. Shame on the Headmaster for not being considerate of their health!

Furthermore, when I saw them, they were weird. It made me think that if you weren't drop dead gorgeous, you weren't allowed to join them. Maybe that's what the Headmaster is planning--make them ill enough so their beauty would dissolve.

The thought made me laugh.

Perhaps the Headmaster was just prejudice against beautiful people. That would explain why he told me that I would join the Day class students--not that there aren't any pretty students in my class! I just can't…compare them to the Night class…

Anyway, I heard nothing. No footsteps, no one clearing their throat, nothing. So I started to fill out my journal with today's date and got occupied with what I was scribbling until…

"You're out a little late, aren't you?"

The husky male voice made me jump, my hand slide so that my pencil wrote by itself and my heart was pounding loudly in my ears. My head whipped around to face the speaker and I found myself glaring at a blonde boy staring right back at me.

"Uh…I…I was…umm…"

I turned away from him, reaching for my dictionary to answer him…and then realized that he had spoken to me in English.

_I'm officially the world's greatest idiot._

He chuckled, noticing my stiff form and my hand tightly clutching my dictionary. I averted my eyes to him and studied him. He was wearing a white uniform—this meaning he was a Night class student—and he was still staring at me with those lovely hues of ocean blue eyes.

_Don't gawk at him, you moron._

I snapped back into reality, forcing the heat in my cheeks to run away.

"Yeah, I'm checking out the stars," I said and then hoped he wouldn't throw me a perverted comeback.

"Obviously."

I blinked, unsure of how to treat him.

"Er…how is it that you can speak English?"

As soon as that stupid question slipped out I mentally smacked myself for it, realizing that he looked so damn familiar because he was one of the boys that my roommate drooled over. From what I heard earlier, he was supposedly a genius, meaning he probably knew a _dozen_ languages.

"English is an easy language to learn," he replied, snorting.

I narrowed my eyes at him. What's this? Am I sensing a superiority complex? I think so!

"You're that transfer student, right? Don't you know the rules yet? Day class students aren't supposed to be out at this time."

That's when I noticed how extremely close he was leaning in. I cleared my throat, scooting away from him to make sure I had my bubble space and glared up at him.

"Well…Mister…" I stopped.

What the hell was his name? Adol? Ido? Advil? It'd be funny if his name was Advil…

"Aidou Hanabusa."

Aidou…Oooh! Idol! That's what it was! Hannah Boosa? What a weird name.

"Right Mr. Aidou, I was—"

"You didn't give me your name. How rude," he snapped, giving me that 'humph' sound and folded his arms across his chest. He was still leaning in really close to me, well, more like leering over me.

_Practically smothering me_… "Hey! Yo! Man, dude you **really** have to give me some space here. I'm starting to feel claustrophobic."

His eyes held mischief, appearing more like predators all the sudden. "Aww, am I making you nervous?"

"Nervous?" I scoffed. " The more I look at you the more you remind me of a…"

"A what? Wolf?"

"I was gonna say rabbit."

"RABBIT? HOW THE HELL DO I REMIND YOU OF A RABBIT!"

Actually, I was gonna say that the more I looked at him the more he seemed gay, but I made a bet with myself that saying rabbit would make him feel less offended than telling him I thought he was gay. I have a bad habit of stereotyping beautiful men as either gay or asshole. His appearance and actions led me to believe he was both.

"Well…" I started but couldn't find a way to explain why I picked rabbit. Was it his bright hair? Or the fact that he also came off as someone who would be hyper all the time? You know, the energizing bunny that would never shut up.

I think a part of him stopped listening since he was _still _talking to himself, fuming over that he was _NOT_ a rabbit and that he was a _WOLF_ god darn it. Well, except he didn't say darn.

So I didn't bother. Instead, I chose to ignore him and returned to my telescope.

"YOU CAN'T CALL ME A RABBIT YOU LITTLE BIT-"

"Aidou-senpai! Why are you yelling so much?" A feminine voice asked curiously.

I groaned, recognizing that voice immediately.

Yuuki Cross was a member of the Disciplinary Committee, meaning my ass was so busted.

I made a small, pathetic sniffling sound.

_Good-bye my dear stars. I don't know when I will see you again! Surely they are going to take me away from you! Farewell! _

"Fontana-san? What are you doing out here at night?" Yuuki's voice became annoyed when she saw me. Probably because I was her billionth rule-breaker tonight and she was getting tired of repeating herself. "It's against the rules! Honestly, does anyone listen to me anymore? How many times do I have to say it?"

I bit back my comment. I wasn't going to say that I actually knew the rules quite well. I might as well play dumb so I wouldn't get into _too_ much trouble.

"I was looking at the stars, Cross-san. Sorry," I apologized while reading the dictionary to make sure I said it right.

All of the sudden, as if she was bi-polar, she perked up and rushed over to the telescope. "Really? Can you see anything?"

I rolled my eyes, redirected the telescope so it centered Sirius. "Yup, there's one of the dog stars."

"It's so beautiful!" She beamed, her voice a bit squeaky.

_I know. I am nothing like the stars. _

"You!"

I was reminded roughly that the blonde kid was still there and _**still**_ upset.

"Hmm…Aidou-senpai? What's wrong?" Yuuki asked, switching to concern, and stared at him curiously.

"She insulted me! She called me a rabbit! A RABBIT!"

_Yes. You are a rabbit. A rabbit. For now on, I shall name you Rabid Rabbit._

"I didn't call you a rabbit. I just said you reminded me of one."

Yuuki Cross sighed, "Fontana-san, please return to your dorm immediately."

"…Fine." I shoved my journal and my charts into my bad and started to dismember my telescope.

"But for now on, could you tell me when you go out to look at stars so I could inform the Headmaster? We could get an Astronomy club going since there's no Astronomy class," she said, smiling.

For some reason I didn't believe her, but I nodded anyway.

"Good night, Cross-san."

"Good night, but call me Yuuki."

"Okay…Yuuki-san," I smiled. A small one though. Don't go thinking that I'm some jolly person now. "Then call me Serena. I feel weird being called by my last name."

"Fontana Serena is your name then?" Aidou-senpai questioned. He sounded like he wanted to take me to court and accuse me of violating him.

"Well…umm...yea…at least the last time I checked it was."

"I will find you the next time then. Miss Serena. This means war."

I blinked. Was he serious? "Okay..._Mr. Bunny_."

I threw that name in because I knew it would piss him off, and as if right on cue, he blew up on me like a firecracker.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"

Yuuki laughed nervously. "Okay people, good night!"

She began shoving me back to the dorms before the blonde kid could strangle me. As soon as the sun dorms were in view, she began laughing hysterically.

"You have some nerve calling him that," Yuuki grinned, "But I'm surprised he didn't do anything. Usually when he gets like that he does something."

She never went into detail of what exactly the 'anything' and 'something' were, so I didn't ask. I was too preoccupied with making sure I didn't leave any of my belongings behind anyway. I don't want that blonde boy colliding into me in the future, sneering and informing me that he has my stuff.

Especially my journal. 'Cause my journal is _**my **__journal_—no one should read it but me.

When I returned to my room my roommate, Shizune, was in deep sleep—snoring away. I was afraid that she might one day suck up the curtains or vacuum the carpets. So I quietly walked around my room, putting back all of my stuff into their rightful places and slipping into my nightwear.

I caught a glimpse of my eyes in the mirror while I was brushing my red hair and grinned. I took pride in only my hair and eyes. My bloody hair and my muddy eyes. What a combination, right?

Anyway, I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over me, not even noticing the pair of red eyes watching outside my window.

_I'll damn the trees tomorrow._

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

I hope I kept the characters cannon because I have only seen a few episodes and read a few manga chapters. If not, let me know. Not sure as to what I want to do with this. Originally I planned it to be a one-shot.

-Shrug-

Serena Fontana—the name means calm fountain.

I don't own Vampire Knight. Just the characters I created.


	2. You're deranged

Chapter 2: You're deranged

I sighed. Currently, I was studying Japanese in the library since I had limited knowledge of the language and my tutor, Kiren, was dozing off.

_I wish I could be doing that. _

I checked my watch and it read four in the afternoon. I stretched, moving the chair back a little as my arms waved in the air, and I heard my back crack.

_Ah, that felt good. I've been sitting here too long. _

The sound of the wind made me look outside. The window was opened so I could still feel the warmth of the spring weather and smell the blooming flowers. I shouldn't sniff the flowers for too long though other wise I was going to have an allergy attack.

Despite the immense dark atmosphere that surrounded the school building and the landscape, the multi-colored flowers were still magnificent. They were the only things besides the stars that comforted me.

"Stop looking outside and finish studying."

Kiren's soft voice interrupted my thoughts and I glared at her.

"You're the one that fell asleep."

The first day I met her my brain had squealed 'Hallelujah! A person who speaks English!'

I probably shouldn't be surprised that many Japanese people speak English, after all, they were always ahead other countries. However, getting to know her forced me to change my opinion of her. I previously thought she was going to be the opposite of me: sociable, snobby, an overachiever, and an attention whore.

She just rubbed me that way.

Kiren Darako was stunning, in my opinion of course, with long black hair and emerald almond shaped eyes. She was slender, pale, short and with no acne whatsoever.

_Damn her. _

She proved me wrong though. She was very calm--trust me, I've tried provoking her with the most perverted jokes I could think of, and it sadly didn't work. She just sat there with a gentle smile on her face and refused to make any comments. Not just calm though, she was also secretive. Try getting her to talk about anything personal was like trying to get those British soldiers dressed in red to crack a smile.

This at first made me confirm my belief that she was snobby, but after watching her trying to talk to one of our male classmates I decided she was just shy—'cause she began stuttering and turning many different shades of red.

"You want to eat?" I questioned her.

It was only three hours ago that we had a lunch break. She eyed me with suspicion and I was tempted to tell her that I wasn't asking because I wanted to get out of studying…though that sounded like a good idea too. My eyes felt like they were burning from reading too much.

After finally deciding that I was just hungry and not trying to skip, she nodded. We got up and headed for the cafeteria, which to my surprise was still open but it was probably open twenty-four/seven since the Night class students needed it.

I was gathering fruits and vegetables on my plate--avoiding the seafood—when someone poked my side painfully.

"Hey! There you are!" Shizune's voice rang in my ears. She had one of those high-pitched girly voices that reminded me of a child that has yet to hit puberty.

I smiled at her, ignoring the ringing in my ears. "Hi."

Now I don't hate my roommate, I was just still adjusting to actually sharing my room with someone, and I'm sure Shizune and I would get along if we weren't roommates.

Shizune Atsuko had wavy brown hair and navy blue eyes that made my stomach twitch whenever I looked into them. She was a popular student, leading all of the riots that greeted the Night class students. She was also someone who reminded me of a rabbit—she never shuts up, not even in her sleep.

Don't get me wrong; she's a good person. Probably one of the few people I could annoy without worrying about getting my head removed, and that was because she shrugged off my comments.

And I admired the confidence that she had in herself. She always seemed sure of what she was doing.

"Raiding the kitchen again, are we? I thought you already ate?"

Shizune always spoke slowly with me, which I was grateful for sometimes, other times I became irritated because it made me feel like she was treating me as if I was an idiot.

"Yea, we did. Three hours ago," Kiren replied, stating only what she needed to and continued her way down the food department. That's another thing I liked about Kiren. She only said what was necessary. Except, it really bothered Shizune.

So Shizune started chatting up a storm and Kiren listened, nodding occasionally, and I completely spaced out. It's not like it really mattered since more than half of what Shizune was repetitive.

It was tedious cycle: boys, school, boys, projects, boys, awful teachers who bombarded us with tiresome homework, dance parties, dancing with boys and…gasp! _More boys_!

So even if I missed something I could always ask Kiren to cut all that crap short and give me a summary, which Kiren gladly did. After eating our meals, it was six in the afternoon. I'm not normally a slow eater, but if I'm being forced to join in the conversation, it kind of happens.

Out of nowhere, Shizune dramatically gasped, cupping her cheeks with her palms and her mouth formed into an 'O'.

I blinked. "Did someone die?"

Kiren nearly choked, quietly trying to smother her laughter. Shizune, on the other hand, frowned.

"No silly! It's time for the _exchange_!" she sighed. "When will you learn? Have you no respect for the Night class? We have to go greet them!"

I remembered then what she was talking about. Shizune was the only person I knew who referred the time when the Night class students and Day class students meet as the 'exchange.' She left us swiftly, running around to gather her fellow fans.

"Might as well go with her," Kiren said softly, getting up from her seat.

I followed her, having to stop once to search for my headphones. The bothersome squeals and screeches of the fan girls soon surrounded the opening gates of the Moon dormitories, and I was suddenly very aware of my shrinking bubble space.

_You know, I'm starting to think I might need multiple rabies shots. _

The assembly of the female Day class students had nearly run me over. They were being held back by a very tired, yet determined Yuuki as they attempted to climb over her --or make her road kill too-- to get even a _glimpse_ of the Night class students.

_Where's Mister Rabid Rabbit?_

Normally I didn't even have to _try_ to look for him since the girls practically screamed his name and he outrageously flirted back, winking or whistling or …whatever. Today, however, he was missing from the crowd. How odd.

"Where's Idol-kun?" I heard a bunch of girls ask each other.

Oh here we go. Now they were going to bombard the upperclassmen with questions of the blonde kid's whereabouts. As if on cue, Mr. Bunny came into my line of vision, waving his hands and grinning like he just won a race.

_Hold on a damn, disturbing second. Why is he coming from the Sun dormitories?_

I shrugged it off. Personally it's really none of business as to whatever he was doing in that direction and a part of me _really_ didn't want to know.

"IDOL-SENPAI!"

_And this is where my eardrums die, sadly. _

The screaming, squealing, and shrieking female population was suddenly threatening to swallow Mr. Bunny whole in their massive crowd—that is until some silver haired guy said a few death threats to them. Yet one girl, Shizune I think, I couldn't tell from this location, still tried to get closer and the silver guy immediately shoved her back into the crowd.

_Ouch. He's brutal._

"HEY! FONTANA-SAN!"

My head snapped, eyes landing on the blonde kid from two days ago. "What?"

I wasn't going to call him by his nickname out here, not when there were hordes of women who would have given me menacing, questioning glares of why I called him that and who was I to give him such a name. He was suddenly right in front of me, inches from my face again. Honestly, this guy had no concept of bubble space whatsoever.

And he was grinning the kind of grin that spelled trouble.

He hugged me, tilting his head so he could whisper in my ear.

"You should check your room soon."

The lack of space, the whisper AND breath tickling my ears, and the fact that he had invaded my room, made me believe I was entitled to shoving him to the ground. Quite violently I might add.

"Oof!" Mr. Bunny landed on his elegant ass and there was a deafening, exaggerated gasp of disbelief from the mob of women.

_Oh __**shit**__._

I had momentarily forgotten I was being watched by millions of eyes when I shoved him, but took off running before I could be pummeled to deaths, swerving in zigzag motions. I jumped, grabbing onto one of the long, firm branches and hopped on. Thanking God for gymnastics as I made my way up higher, I was out of sight when the mob of murderers passed me and I sighed with relief. A few seconds later, there were footsteps so I held my breath and looked down to see Kiren.

"I know you're up there."

_Damn her_.

"You have a bad habit of hiding in trees, I've noticed it a few weeks ago."

_Damn her __**again**__!_

"It's safe, you know, but I think Shizune will kill you once we're at your room."

_Fuck! I** totally** forgot about that!_

I mentally muttered all the profanity words I knew while I climbed back down, glaring at Kiren who gave me a bored look in her defense.

"What do you suggest?"

"Change roommates."

"And room with who?"

She smiled, pointing at herself.

"I'll gladly take that offer." I smiled back.

"There she is!" I heard someone shout and there they were, pointing their adorable fingers at me like five year olds.

"See ya!" And I sprinted off again.

When I finally got to my room, I found my door slightly ajar. I quickly inhaled, peeking into the room slowly so I wouldn't provoke any traps the blonde left me. When nothing happened, I opened the door all the way to discover that my room looked like a tornado had hit it. He had gone through all my books, charts, various equipment, school supplies –even through my bed! My bed covers were on the floor, completely disregarded and my bed sheets were nearly removed.

I twitched all over.

Shizune was going to love this since it meant that _the_ **one** _and_ **only** sexy, elite student was in her room, even though he hadn't touched any of her belongings.

He was going to pay very, _**very**_ dearly.

After putting my room back together, which took a few hours, I realized, in my outmost horror, that my journal was _missing_. I bit my tongue and shoved my head into my pillow to keep my shrieks of outrage from being overheard.

"What's wrong?" Kiren's gentle, passive voice poked me. She was standing above me—I was kneeling against my bed—with a perplexed face, one eyebrow elevated.

"He has taken my journal hostage!" I bellowed furiously.

I could tell she wanted to laugh. "Serena-chan, it's just a-"

"Not _a_ journal, _**the**_ journal. As in all my personal information is in that journal! And since it was taken hostage, it means that he must have read some of it, other wise he would NOT have realized how important it was and now wants to use it as black mail!"

Kiren slowly began to nod, knowing that once I went into hysterics there was no use of telling me to shut up because I would just ignore her. "What if he didn't read it though?"

I stopped midway of cursing him and planning his ultimate death to answer. "Then that means he took it without knowing its significance! But let's be realistic here, he probably read it because he's probably nosey as hell and if he hadn't, he would taken something else to make sure I'd be angry!"

"…Uh huh…"

"HE WANTS A WAR! _FINE_!"

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Needless to say the next day I wasted my entire time to plot revenge and a way to get my journal back, which all consisted of breaking into the Moon dormitories. I sighed. There was no way I could sneak into the dorms without getting caught and suffering severe consequences…unless I persuaded Yuuki to take me there.

I searched for the lovely brunette, not finding her of course—my luck, and instead faced the enraged faces of Mr. Bunny's fans.

They have yet to forgive me and I have yet to answer any of their questions. They believed I was insane and disrespectful for treating their dear Idol- senpai like 'that'.

Shizune, in particular, hasn't left me alone all day. She stalked me while I was in the cafeteria, the library (I _still_ haven't finished studying Japanese), our classes, and in our small shared bedroom…I was surprised that she didn't hop into the shower with me—I did invite her since she was standing centimeters away from the curtains, but instead she blushed furiously and angrily told me not to be idiotic.

Okay…if _you_ say so…

It was that time again; the 'exchange', and I had to bite my tongue to make sure I didn't laugh. The fangirls had formed a line of bodyguards to make sure I wouldn't harm a precious hair on their Idol-senpai.

All the same I was ready for part I in my plan.

The gates opened and out came with the Night class students, _and _the amusing declarations of everlasting love and 'I want to bear your children!'

I, meanwhile, was rolling my shoulders and stretching my arms. Kiren, sitting on the grass beside me reading, eyed me suspiciously. She seems to be always suspicious of me.

"Serena-chan…"

"FIRE ONE!" I yelled, ignoring her, and threw with perfect aim due to my old days of playing softball. The object I threw whizzed by the innocent bystanders, hitting my target completely in the face.

The water balloon popped, soaking Mr. Bunny's sour face. He, first, blinked in surprise and then began growling.

"FIRE NUMBER TWO!"

He tried to catch the second water balloon, but he popped it…must have been those ridiculously feminine fingernails he has...and his poor suit was drenched. The taller guy standing next to him covered his mouth. I'm not sure as to whether it was because he was shocked or trying to hide his laughter.

"YOU!" That accusatory, livid cry came from him and his now demonic fans.

Now for part II in this plan: _**Run like hell**_.

I decided to make it a story rather than a one-shot. It might have a few hints of romance here and there, but what happens between Aidou and Fontana is strictly just ...friendship? It'd be one of those I hate you but tolerate you at the same time things...and competitive.

As to why she's an American...well, I was thinking of making my character an American because only an insane foreigner would pull off the stunts she will in the future (going by cultural differences here). She didn't necessarily had to be American, but I chose that one over anything else.

Please be patient with updates because I'll be absent for nearly two months. I'm departing for Italy (summer break, yay!) tomorrow afternoon! (hahaha I'm a foreigner! :P)

So...thank you for your previous reviews and I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!


	3. The truth always hurts

Chapter 3: The Truth Always Hurts

_Okay, where was that branch? Ah ha!_

I grabbed onto it, swinging as I used to in gymnastics and landed on top of the branch. I grabbed onto another one, lifting myself higher up because Mr. Bunny was taller than the fan girls, therefore able to see me on the lower branches. I ignored the painful blisters that were now digging into my palms and climbed onto one more branch just as the insane mob of women ran past the tree with Mr. Bunny following them slowly due to his drenched attire.

"UGH! Screw this!!" he shouted, frustrated with his clothes and removed his jacket, loosening up his dress shirt. I fought the urge to clear my throat— I have to give the blonde some credit. He did have a _nice _body.

He had abs and muscles and…okay, I'm gonna stop there. I refuse to drool over Mr. Bunny. I remained silent and still as I waited for him to leave, waiting another five minutes after he left to make sure he was actually gone. Hopping down, I sprinted off to the Moon dorms--no one would be there since they already left for class. At first I could only see the front door as the only way to get in, but after ten minutes I found an opened window.

I sat in the bushes for a while, contemplating. What were the chances of me finding an opened window? Was it a trap? Did someone just leave it open or did they _plan_ to leave it open?

Even though my better senses told me it was probably a set up and told me not to enter, I also knew it would be the only chance of me getting back my journal. So I climbed up the branches that led me up to the window and peeked in, scanning for any leftover students and entered the Moon dorms. I suddenly felt like a burglar breaking in to steal jewelry, cautiously walking around to not set off those red lasers zooming about me.

_Now…which room would Mr. Bunny sleep in?_

Shit this was gonna be hard. What if I opened a door and there was a student?

My lovely plump ass was a dead ass.

Might as well though. Too bad there weren't any nameplates on the doors. I had used a pin to break into the rooms, getting the talent from one of my friends at school and it took me nearly two hours to locate his room. The only evidence I had to it being his room was all the cards he received from his fans scattered on his side of the room. Tiny, fancy scribbles of 'Idol-senpai' were written on every envelope. I snorted. The damn blonde was oh so damn vain.

On the other side of the room, it was neat and clean so I tried not to make too much of a mess while looking for my journal. I pitied the person who lived with him.

I had lost track of time while searching and didn't even hear the footsteps coming from behind me or see the shadow getting closer until the person cleared their throat.

I jumped, hitting my head against the top of the bed and came out seething in pain. I opened my eyes to see blond hair—OH SHIT! HE FOUND ME!!

Then I heard him speak…strange, I don't remember Mr. Bunny having a sweet voice. I took a good look at the person in front of me this time, now that my vision was coming back to me, and realized he had forest green eyes.

Mr. Bunny definitely had blue eyes last I checked, and I totally forgot my dictionary in my room.

_Busted._

"Umm…" I held out my index finger to signalize 'one moment' and hoped to God I didn't just offend him. I remember once when I did the rock sign, index finger and pinky finger sticking straight up, to an Italian chef. The once docile, smiling chef morphed into a serial killer, and chased me around the restaurant with a butcher knife. The only reason I wasn't killed was because my mother grabbed hold of his arm and told him I didn't mean to insult him.

The Rock sign means, "Your beloved is cheating on you" in Italian.

He said something in Japanese, causing me to sigh in frustration and I tried to explain to him in the best way I could using the little Japanese I knew…and he started laughing.

"Why didn't you say so before?"

I felt really stupid. Another person who spoke English. Sometimes it made me feel like I wasn't really in Japan. "Sorry, didn't think of it. Uh…look, I know what this looks like and-"

He cut me off. "No worries. I know this is yours."

He handed me my journal, making my eyes widen. "Really? How? Did you read it? Did he tell you that he stole it? **Did you read it**? Did he read it to you? I'm gonna-"

"No, I didn't know he took it from you, but because it has your name on it I guessed it was yours. And no, I have not read it," he interrupted again, chuckling. I blushed as I noticed the bold purple letters spelling my name.

I eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know it was my name?"

"Because you speak English and it's written in English rather than Japanese characters."

_Oh yea, I'm an idiot._

Point two for the smart ass and zero for me.

"My name is Ichijou Takuma, Takuma being my first name and I'm the vice president. I'll inform the president of the Moon dorms of Aidou's little kidnapping." He grinned, nearly glowing like a light bulb and I nodded, standing up as I did so.

"Yea, okay, right. I'm gonna…get going. Nice meeting you!" I said nervously, forcing my legs to stop acting like jelly.

"Likewise."

Needless to say I bolted out of that room faster than necessarily, hearing him chuckle a little as I went. I had expected him to be angry with me, lecturing that it was against the rules to be in the Moon dorms and I was going to be punished. I did not expect him to be so friendly and it made me slightly tense.

Guys who were assholes, stupid and…well I could go on…I dealt with naturally using my sarcastic wit, but I was clueless around polite and kind boys. Some are phony, acting nice only in certain situations and I would play along because it meant no drama…but some are genuinely sweet and he seemed that way. I don't know what to do with sincere kindness so it was only natural of me to feel edgy and want to escape, right?

Well at least I got my journal back. The thing was still in one piece and hopefully missing no pages. It didn't look too disturbed. In fact, it didn't look like anything happened to it. The brown hard covers was still smooth and flat, the pages weren't folded anywhere and my handwriting was the only one in it.

So I considered it a completed mission.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was starting to think Kiren got kidnapped since I didn't see her all morning. I was later informed that she was in the clinic due to headaches and chest pains. While I'm glad she's taking care of herself, this also meant I was going to lunch alone unless Shizune joined me and that was doubtful. I told myself it wasn't a big deal, so why did I have butterflies in my stomach? Everyone eats alone sometimes. But what if people watched me while I ate? I hate that!

Logically I knew I was making a big deal out of nothing, but when I stepped into the cafeteria and caught four girls giggling and glancing at me and whispering and…okay I'm going outside! It's a nice day outside anyway!

I found a nice shaded place on the rooftop, tilting my head up to watch the clouds make patterns in the sky and the sun warm my face. The butterflies in my stomach ceased. I sighed in relief, knowing I had plenty of room and there was a nice breeze and no one was up here –wait a second, what's that noise?

It sounded like someone was scrubbing, grunting, scrubbing, cursing and mumbling. I poked my head around to see Mr. Bunny cleaning windows. Ah shit.

"What are you doing up here Mr. Bunny?"

My question caught him off guard and he fell from the ladder with a loud THUD, causing him to yelp and shout, "FUCK!"

I tried my best not to laugh, noticing the rag he had been using land on his face.

"YOU!!" He glowered, shaking his index finger at me as he tried to stand up. "THIS IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!"

"I'm innocent until proven guilty, you ass."

"It's your fault I'm being punished!" he screamed, getting close enough to strangle me.

I held up the plastic cafeteria knife in self-defense and waved it in front of him. "I'm not afraid to use this! I will not hesitate to perform a circumcision!"

He gave me a funny, angry look. "I'll heal!"

He leaped forward, smashing me against the ground. I yelped, not being able to dodge fast enough and felt his weight crush me. He had my left arm pinned above me and the other arm to my side. He looked like he wanted to attack my neck, staring directly at it but he growled and nearly knocked his head against mine.

"Get off of me you heavy son of a bitch!" I barked.

"Don't." He grabbed my by the collar and forced me to face him. "Talk about my mother like you know her, bitch!"

"THEN GET THE HELL OFF OF ME!" I shouted.

_Where the hell did that knife go?_

I shoved him once I got my hands free and he landed on my side. "What is your problem? Do you need therapy? I know some if you want one!"

"_You're_ my **problem**!" he snapped. "You're the reason I'm not sleeping right now. It's one in the afternoon, which means the sun is stronger, brighter and hotter than ever and it's on me and I'm getting no sleep and still have to go to class later. I haven't eaten anything and have I mentioned no sleep? And this stupid fucking sun! I keep going into the shades and it follows me! It steals my shade!"

I eyed him cautiously. "Have you updated all your shots?"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"

"How about medication? Are you on any?" I calmly asked.

"NO! I DON'T NEED MEDICINE!"

"I strongly disagree. So here's the number for that therapist I was-"

He grabbed my hair. "Not another word!"

I smacked him hard across his cheek. "How dare you touch me!"

He smacked me back. "How dare _you_ touch **me**!"

"Oh shut up you pansy pain in the ass!"

He growled, yanking on his own hair. "I could kill you!"

"Like you could, weakling!"

"Weakling?" he huffed. "I am anything but a weakling!"

"Oh yea?" I grinned. "Prove it."

He flushed a dark shade of red, coming close to purple, got up and stomped away. He returned to his cleaning duties, muttering and grumbling to himself.

"This is over my journal, isn't it?" I asked curiously, changing the subject and he glared at me.

"THIS HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR STUPID JOURNAL!"

"Then it must be because you broke into the Sun dormitories…and they must have been even harsher since it was the women's dorms."

He bulked up, making a fist and ignored me. I continued to watch him clean. Wipe here, wipe there, off and on. He struggled with some spots and then sometimes used his sleeves to remove the sweat on his forehead. The sun really did bother him.

"Do you like what you see or something? 'Cause this is called sexual harassment," he growled.

"Are you kidding? Who would sexually harass you? I'd rather molest a zombie," I snapped. "But much to your disappointment, I'm slightly sadistic so I'm watching your torture."

If looks could kill I'd be dead, decaying and roasting in hell.

There was a long pause of menacing silence before anyone said anything and he spoke first. I could tell he was attempting to remain calm, cool and collected so he wouldn't be thrown in jail for murdering a fellow student.

"What's your blood type?"

"My blood type?" I cocked my eyebrow at him.

"That's what I asked, wasn't it?" he snapped.

"Oh, don't get your pink panties in a bunch."

"I DON'T OWN ANY PINK PANTIES...UNLESS THEY WERE THROWN AT ME!"

"Yell a little louder so your fans can hear you. They might even provide you with a whole new set of lingerie. I know someone with thongs if you prefer those…"

My sarcasm sent him on a new screaming, raging spree. He threw the rag in my face, jumping down from the ladder like it was nothing and grabbed my collar again. "WHY ARE YOU SO DAMN ANNOYING!"

I rolled my eyes, deciding to humor him. "My blood type is AB."

He blinked and then there was a sudden glint of happiness as if he just solved a mystery. "THAT'S IT! THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ANNOYING!"

"Ah uh…"

He started to laugh like he just escaped from the mental hospital and pointed his index finger at me as if I was a criminal he spotted. "It makes total sense now!"

"Well good for you," I said. "Loser."

"I wasn't the one who got abandoned by their father, bitch!"

I quickly straightened my posture and narrowed my eyes in a menacing glare, feeling my stomach drop and the blood in veins become ice. "What did you say?"

He suddenly chilled, looking surprised that he had blurted that out and ashamed of himself. "Nothing."

"What did you say asshole!" I sprung from where I landed.

"I didn't mean to say-"

"HOW MUCH OF MY JOURNAL DID YOU READ, YOU FUCKING NOSEY PANSY!" I bellowed furiously, forcing his ears to ring with my voice. It's cliché, but I was seriously loud enough to wake the dead and give them migraines.

"I wasn't going to read it! But it—"

"IT WHAT? FELL OPEN? YOU COULDN'T HELP YOURSELF?" I made myself stand nearly twice my height and hovered over him. He tried to open his mouth to defend himself but no words came out, catching the rag I threw at him and staggered backwards.

"Serena-chan, there you are!" Shizune's voice popped out of nowhere and she kept me from wrapping my hands around his thin neck and straggling him. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Shizune took hold of my hand, using all of her strength to drag me away but not before she waved and winked at him. "Sorry I have to borrow her."

"By all means," he grumbled.

"I'm not done with you! You piece of shit!" I tried to launch myself at him but Shizune kept a tight grasp on my forearm.

"What's with you?" I yelled at her.

"We'll talk later," she whispered. "Right now I'm trying to save Idol-senpai's life."

I was dragged away with much effort and as soon as we were in our room, I let her have it. I swung my fist, hitting the door that was still behind her and she let out a loud, shocked gasp.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" she screamed.

"You have a few seconds to explain because I doubt it was just to save his sorry ass," I growled, noticing how she had taken a few steps away from me.

"I'm here to inform you we're not rooming together anymore. Pack your stuff and leave." She stated coldly. "You're staying with Kiren."

I grunted. "Fine. I'll pack now."

Silence grew rapidly and she left without saying another word. I sat on the edge of my bed, sighed and ran my hand through my hair. I nervously bit on my nails, scanning the room and thinking about what I needed to pack first. Then remembered that I still had classes to go to and that meant facing everyone again. Not a good idea while I was in a merciless mood. I probably shouldn't have taken out my anger on her but…it happened. As usual. Mom used to complain about how I expressed my anger—like an explosion. Violent and quick.

I was the walking nuclear bomb, killing innocent bystanders and not caring who suffered my attack.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm back from my summer vacation! I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though I consider this short...

Anyway, a little back information on blood types.

AB (the humanist) is known to be critical, logical, rational, unforgiving, indecisive, with split personalites (sometimes being shy and other times being too confident), blunt/too honest, sensitive to surroundings and easily offended.

Thought it would suit the main character.

I thank everyone for their reviews!

As for romance, over the break I redid the plot because originally I didn't want to include much romance. I believed I was horrible (and still do) at writing romance, but now I'm actually going to attempt to. A little warning though, I'm not big on mushy and lovey dovey stuff. So while writing this romance it will probably include a lot of hate and rage.

After all, who said love was easy?

So the couples have all changed and anything goes. Expect the unexpected! The plot bunnies have been mating inside my brain and I'm not really aware of what they'll give birth to!

Thank you, also, for being patient!


	4. Misery on Earth

Chapter 4: Misery on Earth

I wasn't going to bother informing Yuuki that I was going out to see the stars. I needed to escape the walls of my cage—the sun dorms—and breathe the outside air. I put together my telescope and faced it up and then went searching for the charts that I had previously shoved into my bag. I sighed, finding the Big Dipper and stared at the glowing orange moon.

It was strange but I liked strange.

It had been red before it turned orange, changing into yellow as it climbed up in the sky. With the telescope I could see the scars the moon had, reminding me of someone close to me.

Why did I pick Astronomy as my hobby anyway? I think it started when Mom told me that when people died, people went to Heaven and I had looked Heaven up in the dictionary. It stated it was in the sky so I bought a telescope in hopes of finding my father in the sky, aimlessly floating among the clouds. When I didn't see him, I used the telescope to search the Earth.

I was young and stupid for believing that the telescope would help me see Europe from America. Not that I believed Dad had escaped to Europe. I was five and I only remember Mom coming into my room, shutting off the nightlight. She curled next to me in bed, played with my hair and muffled her cries into my pillow, holding onto me like I was her only way of breathing. I would lie there and pretend she was fine. Tomorrow would be like any other day.

Dad used to always go out and travel without saying anything, but he always came back.

Tomorrow he would be sitting in the kitchen, drinking his black coffee.

_But that time he didn't come back_.

No one knew where he vanished and the cops didn't even bother to investigate after discovering that he normally left. They just assumed _**he left**_—as in he wanted to be gone…as in he didn't want to be included in the family anymore.

That hit me hard.

Not brick hard either.

It was more like someone dropped the Titanic on me. I used to cry until my eyes felt as if they were going to shrivel up like a dying flower. I was so depressed that I refused to eat and I would throw up purposely just to get rid of the cold feeling in my stomach.

Then rumors spread around that he might have left because he was with another woman. I used to beat up the kids who would say this rumor to my face, refusing to believe he would leave the family he already had to start another.

_But if not dead, then where? WHERE DID HE GO?_

After a couple of years my school principal got fed up with my attitude and called Mom in. Everyone told her that a ten year old shouldn't be so aggressive and cruel.

I shouldn't be giving girls twice my size black eyes.

I shouldn't be breaking the bones of teenage boys.

I shouldn't be terrorizing my teachers with my bullying ways.

They thought I needed anger management.

The _students_ thought I needed a **straight jacket**.

Then they tried to say that they understood why I acted out.

I lost my father. They 'knew' how I felt.

_**Bastards.**_

How can they judge me when all they see are my actions?

How can they judge when they don't know what really stirs in my head and beats in my heart?

Unless they have some empathic power, then I doubt they would understand how I feel.

Even if they went through the same bull shit, people go through their emotions on different levels...some are more or less intense. And how we deal with it...well, that's complicated.  
Anyway...Mom had politely declined the offer of names of excellent therapists and took me home without saying anything '_cause that's what __**proper ladies**__ do_, but once we got home she complained about my weight and eating habits.

I had rolled my eyes and told her that appearance didn't mean everything.

_But I was wrong. To her, everything was about appearances. _

My behavior continued till I was twelve when Mom caught me giving lip to a neighbor. She had literally bitch slapped me in front of everyone—heads turned, over exaggerated gasps were heard, jaws dropped to the ground and people were too stunned to move. Actually minus the neighbor who left quickly because she figured that it was something between mother and daughter...and probably believed that madness ran in the family.

We had both said sorry at the same time.

I had said it because I knew I was being a bitch and that I shouldn't act out 'cause a lot of kids had no fathers. I was just a part of their crew.

_I had to get over it._

She said it because she felt like she failed as a mother, and it was then I saw her --with her perfect hair, perfect body, perfect manicured nails and all—for what she really was.

A broken woman who hid behind a mask of beauty so the world wouldn't know just how screwed up she really was.

She was the beautiful, scarred moon.

_The Moon would be lonely without her stars._

She was desperate and I knew it. She couldn't keep her husband and now her daughter was slipping through her fragile, trembling fingers. She didn't know how to tell me how much she loved me without criticizing me at the same time.

I had smiled a watery smile and chose to forgive her and her words.

_The words that cut into me every time she said them. _

_The ones that gobbled my confidence._

I told her it was okay because I was never going to leave her and that we were a team.

_I loved her too._

Yet ironically I did end up leaving her. Three years later I got news that I could go to Japan as a foreign exchange student. Oh she was not pleased but at the same time she understood. We both knew that ever since he left there had been a dark cloud above us, threatening to destroy our bond and swallow us. If she put me on a leash, then I was going to retaliate. However, if she gave me freedom to explore, then I would return to her.

When I got to Japan I was expecting to be there for only a year but then Headmaster Cross asked me if I wanted to stay until I graduated and I accepted.

Yea, okay, so they have weird rules and annoying students. On the other hand though, it was a nice campus and the programs were beyond my expectations.

_And here's how life is so damn ironic._

When I was younger I wasted my time searching for a man who I knew would never come back to me, and now I'm wasting my time trying to avoid a guy who won't leave me the hell alone!

_**Stupid Goddamn stalker.**_

I swear he pops out wherever I go!

Is it possible that he stuck an atom-sized microchip on me? How is it that he always knows where I am?

I sighed as a familiar head full of blonde hair travel closer to where I was located, the familiar pair of blue eyes stare at the ground like it was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.

I watched him slouch against the tree and shove his hands in his pockets, now looking everywhere but at me.

The damn bastard was skipping class again. Wouldn't he get punished for that too? Well he can't blame me for skipping. I heard him take in a long breath of air, give out an equally long frustrated sigh and clear his throat.

He was finally looking—_staring_—at me.

"What?" I asked, my voice sharp and diseased with rage.

"I…I came to say-"

"Save it for someone who cares about apologies." I cut him off.

"Serena...I..." He trailed off, not knowing where to start and how to say it.

Lets be honest.

Boys never know what to say when girls are moody or crying. They're not like the boys in movies or soap operas, whispering sweet nothings into your ear and wiping your tears away. Real boys, the ones you see everyday (unfortunately), are clueless.

A girl could die of heart failure before a boy actually gets a sentence out of his mouth.

Yet he said something that caught my attention. My head had snapped towards him when he said my name. It was the first time he ever used my first name and with that tone.

_The one that meant he was honestly sorry._

Part of me wanted to say "It's okay. Just don't bring it up again" and part of me wanted to say to go shove it up his ass, so I kept quiet but he never finished his statement. It was deathly silent for at least an hour, if you didn't count the sighing and occasional shuffle of the feet.

I changed my telescope's position, centering it on the planet Mercury. Mercury was going retrograde—didn't that usually mean that communication issues would stir up in Astrology terms?

Whatever.

No longer using my telescope to find my bastard of a father, I looked up at the stars as my only escape from the misery on Earth.

_The suffering everyone had._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wanted to give a little bit of background to my character.

This is also a short chapter but for a good reason. I needed something to build up the next chapter because that's the one with all the excitement.

-grins- I love you guys. Thank you soooooo much for reviewing! It's really encouraging to know that people like what I write!

And that I'm actually writing well...-sweat drops- English isn't exactly my first language...

Hahaha the astrology factor about Mercury's retrograde is true. There is supposed to be a lot of communication problems during that time...though I'm not quite sure how long they last...

Name on play...stargazer...a flower or a person who watches the star? Both!


	5. Head under water

Chapter Five: Head Under Water

"Not going to kill me yet?"

His surprisingly gentle voice made me jump. He had been so quiet that I had almost forgot he was there.

I sighed. "I decided to let you live a little longer. I can't get myself expelled. Wait until after graduation."

"But that doesn't mean I forgive you." I reminded him.

He nodded, cautiously and slowly taking his time to get closer to me. I looked over my shoulder to glare at him, causing him to study me like I was the most dangerous animal God created.

"I didn't mean to offend you, Serena, I…"

He stopped when I narrowed my eyes at him, warning him not to continue or else be bitched at. His normally pale face flushed a little but he stopped talking. I rolled my eyes, returning to my telescope, nearly poking my eye on it because I moved too fast.

"What are you looking at?" Mr. Bunny courageously asked, now standing within inches from me.

_Well that was fast._

"Mercury."

I looked back and forth between him and the distance that _was_ there. He had gotten bold within seconds.

"Ah…what's so interesting about it?"

I eyed him, wondering why the hell was he trying to pretend he was interested in astronomy, but I was going to play nice if he wanted to be that way. I can pretend.

"Well, it's in retrograde right now and it's the smallest planet."

"No it's not. Pluto is the smallest."

I stared at him, hoping he was just kidding. "Where have you been? Pluto is off the list!"

He smirked like a know-it-all, placing his right hand behind his neck. The position made him look gentle and easy to approach. Well, if he ever gave a person the _time_ to approach him. Usually he invaded their space.

"Yeah, I know, but talking about planets makes you friendlier."

I would have hit him on the head if I hadn't noticed that he was actually _trying_ to be my friend, which was odd all itself. No one but Kiren showed enough patience to put up with my bullshit. Not even my buddy, Erica, the girl who taught me how to pick locks, had the patience. After one frustrated incident, she brutally threw me against a wall. Needless to say we were both angry teenagers hunting for blood, looking for someone to take our rage out on.

"Well, what do you know about Mercury?" I folded my arms, facing him now in a challenging way.

"I know he was the God of messengers."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "That's Roman and Greek mythology. I mean the planet itself."

"I know it orbits the Sun every eighty-eight days and it's very bright when viewed from Earth, but can only been seen during early morning or evening twilight. So you must have some super telescope to see it now during the night," he stated flatly, taking a look at my telescope.

"Mom got it for me. I think it was her way of apologizing," I said bluntly and without a trace of emotion. I wasn't going to show him me. I wasn't going to show him how she really affected me.

There was a pause of silence and then he opened his big mouth again, but his voice was so gentle that a raindrop would have been louder. "I'm not going to tell anyone."

"Oh I know," I smirked.

He gave me a perplexed look, elevating his eyebrow. "How?"

" 'Cause I'll kill ya if you do."

He began laughing. I mean, _actually laughing_. The ones that were pure and left your belly feeling like it would explode and made blood rush to your face.

_I should threaten him with death more often._

"Have you ever tried to find him?" he asked, going back to the topic.

_If only you knew._

He lightly shoved me when I didn't answer.

I gave him a dirty look before sighing. "Why look for someone who left us behind? I'm not going waste my time on someone who didn't love us."

I suddenly winced, feeling something prickly on my elbow and I noticed that the cut I got during the time I was moving my belongings into Kiren's room was starting to bleed again. It wasn't a deep cut but it still stung.

"Damn it. I forgot."

I had left my band-aids in my new room. Then again I doubt I'd be able to find them now within that mess. I heard him clear his throat and when I glanced at him I could have sworn I saw red in his eyes, but they were red for only a few nano seconds.

Maybe I was just seeing things.

He coughed and looked away from me, covering his face with his hands as if someone just flickered a flashlight in his face.

"What? Do you have a dry throat?"

"You could say that," he responded with a hoarse voice. He dug his left hand into his school uniform until he found what he was looking for and handed me a handkerchief from his pocket. "Here."

I took a long look at it, studying it like it was poisoned. It was clean, pink and…why the hell did he have this with him?

"Use it," he urged, almost shoving it in my hands.

"Are you sure you're not gay?"

My blunt question took him off guard and he nearly whacked me. "Here I am being nice and you're an ass to me."

"Well it's that you actually carry a handkerchief and _it's pink_," I laughed, watching him fume.

"It is NOT pink. It's RED!"

_Ah, now this is more like it._

"Whatever," I retorted and tried to use it, but it wouldn't stay in a knot. Mr. Bunny let out a loud, frustrated growl.

"Damn it already!" he grunted, yanking me to him and tied the knot swiftly for me. The action made me laugh.

"Awww…why thank you Mr. Bunny." I patted him on the head but noticed how pale he was, reminding me of the time Mom passed out once.

"Hey, you're not gonna faint on me are you? Are you such a pansy that you'd faint at the sight of blood?"

It was meant as joke but he growled dangerously at me. A long, awkward pause of silence grew between us. We had gone from being friendly—_too friendly_—to whatever this was. I almost thought he gave up talking until he mentioned something about his cousin and how annoying he was. I knew he was making small talk just so the awkward silence would go away so I stopped paying attention.

I sighed, tilting my head up to the sky. The moon had turned into its normal pale color, hanging next to another bright star. Which one was that? I can't remember. Hmm...it's not even a full moon yet. Waxing or waning?

I snorted. This is what I loved about this school. When the sun went down and there weren't any clouds or trees in the way, I could see the milky way. The school was isolated for the most part, meaning that there were few street lights. It was so easy to spot out the constellations here. In the States, it was nearly impossible to see anything. Now, if I can only imagine myself at the beach. Oh yea, that'd be my paradise. The sound of the waves and the starry sky above me.

I sound like a hopeless romantic...

And then he poked my stomach like a child would stomp on their parent's foot for attention.

I whacked his hand. "What?"

"You weren't listening!" he snapped.

"Yes I was," I lied and he made a foul face at me, folding his arms across his chest.

"No, you weren't."

He sighed, sounding too tired to argue and changed topic quickly. "What's your favorite subject besides Astronomy?"

He's attempting to have a conversation with me? Now this is odd. I wonder if someone hit him earlier. Actually, now that I think about it, that's probably a marvelous theory. Someone must have hit him so hard that it caused him to temporarily lose his mind...wait, this means I'm admitting he has a mind. Okay, no, lose his...oh whatever. It'd make sense though. I mean why else would he apologize? Someone must be forcing him to...

I eyed him again, noticing his impatience because I was taking too long to answer and I nibbled on my lip before responding. "Languages even if I don't show it. Biology is pretty neat too."

He smiled a small smile. "Science is more my forte."

How…_awkward_. I've never had a male friend before and this was…well, I wasn't even sure this was happening. I looked around him. Maybe he's being watched...you know, for best behavior, but I didn't find anything.

"Did you actually like gymnastics? And softball?"

I tried to relax. "Softball was great, but I wasn't really into gymnastics."

"Then why did you do it?" He was sitting on the ground now, completely comfortable.

I snorted. "Mom. She wanted me to lose weight and gain more muscle."

"Aidou," A masculine voice interrupted us and I jumped.

My eyes landed on a gorgeous man with shoulder length brown hair and reddish brown eyes. He was a little taller than Mr. Bunny, but enough to tower over me. He carried with him an air of superiority and came across as domineering. He was obviously a Night Class student judging by his uniform. Damn it. Another night busted. I can't look at the stars in peace.

"What are you doing?" the student asked, his voice slightly concerned and yet aloof at the same time.

Mr. Bunny had jumped from where he was sitting into standing position and nearly bowed before the other student. "Nothing. Just chatting."

_Mr. Bunny is being polite? Wow. Someone's whipped._

Actually he was too calm for my tastes—as if he was on guard now. The other student didn't look convinced until his eyes found me and the glint in his eyes went from possible irritation to pity. I felt something crack in me. The wall that held my anger back suddenly had a hole in it and I could feel myself tense as if someone trapped me in a room with a starving dragon.

Why did this guy make my instincts spasm? Why did I have the urge to hit him?

"It seems that you actually made a friend," he said more to me than to Mr. Bunny. "I'm glad."

"More or less," I replied callously.

"Well, since I see…nothing here…I'll go on my way. Aidou, return to class…and you to your dorms." He ignored my response, my tone and turned his back on me.

_Wait--pause! Did this person just order me to do something? _

I was about to tell him to mind his own fucking business until Mr. Bunny's hand flew to my mouth and clamped it shut.

"Very well," Mr. Bunny answered courteously.

I frowned at him after Mr. High-and-Mighty left, waiting for a good explanation with glorifying details.

Mr. Bunny sighed and gave me a serious glare. "Look, you can't talk like that to Kaname-sama. I won't let you."

I folded my arms stubbornly. "Ah, I get it. You're his loyal puppy. Let me guess, you follow him around and obey every order."

I watched his nostril practically flare with fire. "Say what you want to me, but treat him with respect."

"My respect isn't given, it's earned."

He grabbed me by the collar and roughly yanked me to him again. We were close enough that I could make out the patterns in his eyes. "I'm warning you."

"And I'm warning you," I snarled. "Let go of me before I become hostile."

His face became distorted, dark and sinister. The friendly atmosphere around him gone.

"Good night."

He left with that.

Is it just me? Or did it suddenly become really cold outside?

VVVVVVVV

I found him still cleaning the next day, this time sweeping slowly as if he had no energy to grumble and complain. His cheeks were tinted slightly pink, evidence of sunburn. The day was bright. The white puffy clouds were missing so Mr. Bunny had no mercy from the sun. I was glad Japan didn't have the humid air America did. I could enjoy a warm day without melting and feeling suffocated.

Lunch was next block, so he knew I was skipping class to be outside. Seems like we were taking turns. Yet he didn't say a word to me. I shrugged it off, not really in a mood to talk anyway. I didn't sleep last night and my mind was too busy buzzing about Mr. High-and-Mighty. His eyes haunted me…kind of. Last night he had looked at me with pity and I want to know why. He doesn't know me- not a thing about me...unless Bunny here opened his big mouth. Ugh! I was getting annoyed with him and he wasn't even present!

I suddenly threw the handkerchief at Mr. Bunny, which he caught without even glancing behind him.

Nice.

"Thought I'd bring it back to you. Clean."

He stopped sweeping to smirk at me. "Still has your scent."

"Well, it's not my fault you're a blood hound," I said and out of curiosity I asked him what I smelled like.

"Sweet."

"Really? You're the first person that's said I'm sweet."

"Oh, don't go putting words in my mouth," he grunted, shaking his head. "I never said you were sweet. I said your scent was sweet, but that's where I draw the line..."

I laughed, inwardly agreeing with him but that's where he stopped talking and I started to talk to myself for my own amusement. It earned me a lot of raised eyebrows, quirky smirks, and eye rolls. At least I got some reactions.

"I knew you were insane." Kiren's voice joined us.

She stood at the doorway with her arms folded across her chest, smirking at me. I grinned back, a little surprised she wasn't giving me a third degree for skipping class. Not that I normally skip class. I just couldn't stay focused today.

"I can go get our lunches if you want to eat up here," she offered and my grin grew wider. See, Kiren is nice to me unlike some annoying stalkers...

"I knew there was a reason I loved you," I laughed. "You can read me like a book."

I wasn't quite sure that it was a good thing that she could read me so easily yet I couldn't understand her half the time.

"I'll be back shortly."

Mr. Bunny gave me an infuriated glare after she left. "You call me a loyal puppy, look what you do to her! She's like your personal slave!"

"Nah, we just love each other," I grinned and laughed when his glare turned into a perverted stare. "You ass."

He shrugged and returned to his work. As promised, Kiren came back with two trays of food, each tray containing a nice balance of healthy food and junk. After handing me my tray, Kiren observed Mr. Bunny for a few seconds. She tilted her head questioningly.

"Aidou-senpai, you seem to be in a more…uptight mood today."

"Oh, Mr. Bunny's like that 'cause I nearly verbally abused a student yesterday," I smirked, not giving him the chance to reply. "Don't worry darling, you'll always be the first on my hit list."

Kiren sighed in exhaustion. Scratch that. I think the only reason Kiren hasn't strangled me yet is because she doesn't have the anger I have. Kiren is sweeter, gentle, and reserved. _A lady. _In fact I should probably make a note to myself: Never let Mom meet her. She'll ask if she can adopt her or maybe exchange daughters. I was practically a monster, and compared to her, maybe even Satan. I could always pass off as Satan's daughter.

"I don't see why you enjoy provoking people. And _why_ that nickname?" She eyed me, appearing a little annoyed.

I laughed loudly. " 'Cause it gets on his nerves, but you'd think he would take it as a compliment. Bunnies get laid all the time."

Kiren choked on her milk, nearly spraying it out. Mr. Bunny, who had blushed a seriously dark red, helped her by patting her on the back. I probably should have waited to say that _after_ she was done drinking. Poor girl.

He shot me an embarrassed, red glare. He was starting to remind me of a red traffic light. "You have NO tact whatsoever."

I smiled, not ashamed of myself and I was proud too. Proud that I could make him turn colors. I have yet to see another girl vex him like me. "I know."

"You're lucky I can't do any bodily harm."

"You wouldn't do it anyway, remember? You're the loyal puppy."

"DON'T TALK ABOUT KANAME-SAMA LIKE THAT! YOU FAT, OVERGROWN BITCH!" he suddenly snapped viciously.

Both of my eyebrows sprung up. I knew he respected Mr. High-and-Mighty, but this wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I expected him to make his usual retort, get angry and say something about how I treat Kiren. I did NOT expect him to _yet again_ defend his master...oops! I mean his fellow classmate. I feel sorta envious of Mr. High-and-Mighty because he has Mr. Bunny's unwavering loyalty. I wished I had a guy like that. Someone I could depend on. Maybe if Dad had Mr. Bunny's loyalty he wouldn't have left.

Okay, someone crash my train of thought. What the hell does Dad have to do with Mr. Bunny? Why did he pop into my head like that? I was only thinking about Mr. Bunny and what's-his-face's-name. Another note to self: Never compare Mr. Bunny to Dad. It's just too weird.

I rubbed my shoulder, feeling two pangs of pain closer to my heart but I wasn't going to massage the area where my heart was in front of him. That would create another awkward moment.

One hit to the heart was the ever-reappearing knowledge of my father's absence in my life. The other was that Mr. Bunny just insulted me.

The bastard called _me **fat**_. That's two people! I bulked up to his height, the air in my lungs rushed out as if I was a balloon that just popped.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU PANSY?" My voice boomed loud enough that Mr. Bunny fell backwards in surprise. I'd say the Earth shook too, but that's just wishful thinking. I don't have that kind of ability, but it'd be cool if I did.

"Oh my." I heard Kiren whisper calmly and she spoke up louder to get my attention. "Umm…Serena, I think that was the bell. It's time to go."

She tugged on my sleeve, her eyes almost pleading me not to start a fight. Too bad it never works.

"WELL IT'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT!" I launched myself onto Mr. Bunny, tackling him to the ground as if we were playing football.

"Oh…great…" Kiren sighed again.

My first fist connected with his chin, making a satisfying THUD sound but my second one whizzed by his head. He snarled and grabbed both of my wrists and tightly grasped them. He stared at me with wild, stormy eyes and for some odd reason my stomach did a flip. Normally blue eyes, when they were upset, became cold and icy. They held no mercy, no emotion, no life.

His eyes were different.

If anyone has ever seen the ocean after a storm they would know how violent the watery world is. I've tried swimming against the current before and nearly got myself killed. The current had pulled me under, flipping me over and over without letting me breathe. I was taken out of the water by my –for once- brave mother and she had given me CPR. She scolded me, slapped me even but I knew she had been worried. She thought I had gone to the ocean to commit suicide.

Nah, I was just daring. Daring anyone and anything. Sometimes I get too anxious with all my jittery energy and need to do something extremely reckless.

And I got my ass kicked. Badly. No one should ever fight against nature. That's like asking Death for a tea party.

And staring into his eyes was like I was trapped in that current again. They were intense, intimidating, and I was going to suffocate in them.

They held a strength I would never have.

He shoved me off of him, grumbling out loud. "You know, I was raised not to hit girls, but you really, _really_ tempt me."

"Oh yea, don't start acting like you have some class you arrogant son of a bitch," I growled once I got out of that watery world. I felt somewhat dazed. Had I been on a ship? Why was my body wobbly?

"Aidou-senpai!" Kiren flushed furiously and snatched me from him, becoming my shield. "Leave her alone!"

"Oh sure! Take her side!" he scowled, throwing up his hands in the air defensively.

"Well, you're supposed to be the man! Not her!"

"She acts like one!"

I kept quiet only because it was the first time I ever heard Kiren raise her voice and see her angry. I wanted to applaud, but grabbed the tray of food instead—_never mind the food_—and whacked him on the head with it. Mr. Bunny fell backwards and avoided crashing on the floor only because he was able to spin on his heel. He grunted, stumbling on his feet and shot me another ugly glare but he didn't move.

Kiren gasped in shock. "SERENA!"

A ringing of bells sounded in the air, letting me know that lunch was over and the next period would begin. I stomped away from the scene, leaving the mess there for him to clean up.

"SERENA!" Kiren yelled, huffing and puffing for air as she ran down the stairs trying to catch up to me. "YOU WENT TOO FAR THIS TIME!"

"Like I give a damn," I mumbled and sprinted off before she could see a wounded animal.

He had pushed too many buttons on me.

VVVVVVVVV

I studied my face in the bathroom's foggy mirror. The heat from the shower I just took made it feel humid and I had to fan the mirror to see my whole reflection. My red hair, a tangled of wet mess, smelled of shampoo and it felt smooth when I played with a strand in between my fingers. My brown eyes were moist and glassy from the earlier water works.

I was still trying not to cry. I sighed, looking at myself again.

_Was I really that fat?_

I had no double chin, no extra rolls on my tummy, but I wasn't well toned. I didn't have a model's body. I had curves, thick thighs and strong legs. I glanced down at my chest, smiling at little.

_Well, I have those for sure._

Needless to say, Mr. Bunny's comment had dug underneath my skin. I scoffed, thinking I shouldn't care about what he says. He thinks he knows who I am just because he read my journal.

_Bastard._

I sighed again, forcing myself to get dressed.

Why was it so hard for me to get along with men? What is it about them that makes me want to provoke them? Do I provoke them because I want to see if they can handle me? No, this wasn't a test of wills. I think Mr. Bunny knows I have a strong will power...I don't think he doubts my strength...or temper...

Do I fight with him because I'm afraid of him?

I giggled. Me? Afraid of Mr. Bunny who wears pink panties? Nah.

_No, not that kind of fear. _

No. I didn't provoke them. They provoked me. They provoked fear. Fear of being close. Fear of losing them once they knew who I was. Fear of letting go of my defenses and feeling vulnerable to them.

I hate being so damn fragile. I growled at myself, frustrated with the thoughts swarming in my head and I shook my head to physically get rid of them. I left the bathroom before Kiren's bladder exploded.

_Kiren_

She hadn't said a word to me ever since we got back to our room and I had began to wonder how long it would take for her to change roommates again. When I got out I found her sitting on her bed with her science book on her lap and she looked up from it when I reached my bed.

"You okay? You were in there for a while."

Her voice was oddly calm and sweet, like she already knew what I had been doing for the past two hours. I suddenly wished she were my mother. She understood me more than my mother did.

I forced myself to grin. "Have you ever gone to the bathroom and felt like you were dying? Honestly, sometimes I think taking a crap is like going through labor. Hard work I tell you."

She rolled her eyes at me and became serious. "You were criticizing your body again, weren't you?"

_Damn it. _

"Why aren't you mad at me?" I asked quietly. Shizune had flipped out on me when she saw my violent side and I didn't blame her. Who would want to put up with that? So why wasn't she giving me a lecture about controling my temper?

"Everyone has flaws, Serena. I choose to accept and tolerant them. You should try to do the same," she replied kindly.

I felt my eyes become watery again but I tried to laugh it off. "Yeah, guilty."

"I don't see why you're so hard on yourself. I think you're gorgeous," she smiled brightly, a perfect row of white teeth. "Even prettier than those female Night Class students."

This time I did laugh but I choked at the same time. "I wouldn't take it that far."

"No seriously."

I nodded, not too sure how to respond to that.

How did she always know? How did she always know what to say to me? But her words did not heal me. They were not comforting. They just stung because it was the first time someone flattered me.

"My turn to take a shower." She placed the book on her desk, gathered her clothes and took her towel with her. She smiled cheerfully before closing the door behind her.

I started to cry when I heard the water turn on, wrapping myself up in my bed's comforter and sunk into my bed for shelter. I wanted to hide away from the world.

Hide my blood red hair that my mother wanted to dye, my dark lifeless eyes, my flawed body, my violent temper and my already guarded heart.

Why couldn't I be like the Moon?

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

So...yea...I'm not even sure how to react to this chapter. I dug deeper to the core of how the character feels and what she thinks.

If I could hug each reviewer, I really would. I got so much feedback that it made me glow. I enjoy writing, but seeing other people enjoy it more than me is a wonderful feeling.

o.O I sounded gay right there. Yep.

I have my own little view of Aidou. Vampire or not, he's still just a boy. A boy who will make mistakes. He will be arrogant, he will be cocky, he will be funny, he will be supportive/loyal...and he will argue with Serena. A lot. And even if she pisses him off, he will respect the peace treaty that the headmaster made...or else be punished by Kaname...haha.

More characters will be included as it goes on. I'm guilty of doing things slowly.


	6. Pink is not my color

Chapter six: Pink is not my color

"Serena! Did you hear?" Shizune screamed excitedly as I entered the classroom filled with students. My ears rung with her irritable voice and I shot her an apathetic look.

"Obviously not."

I took a seat next to Kiren and waited for the Queen of Fans to finish, wincing as she continued to squeal and bounce around.

"There's going to be a dance! A dance between the Day and Night Class students after our exams!" She clapped her hands, getting a dreamy look in her eyes and then her eyes quickly narrowed at me. "That means you have to study!"

"Oh, I pity the poor sap who has to dance with you," I mumbled as I laid my head on the cool wooden desk. I heard someone humph and opened one eye to see who it was. The silver haired prefect who sat at the back of class had made the noise, appearing indifferent about the whole ordeal with his arms folded across his chest. He stonily stared ahead at the black chalkboard, no longer paying attention to any of his classmates.

"Try not to fail the exams Fontana-chan! Though it's usually Yuuki-chan who scores horribly. In fact, it was she who left only her name on the paper last year…" Shizune muttered to herself, her hand cupping her chin as if in thought and then went off to hound the other prefect. The poor girl was already getting her ear chewed out by the class president, who apparently wanted a dance with someone named Ruka.

I yawned, grumbling a quick, "Right back at ya idiot."

Kiren smirked next to me, elbowing my side.

"What?" I asked her wearily.

"You have improved your Japanese a lot. I'm impressed." She beamed, her face glowing with pride.

"It kinda happens when everyone near you speaks it."

"That's not true. Aidou-senpai speaks to you in English."

"That's because he takes pity on me. However, when he's using profanity he switches back to Japanese," I yawned again and buried my head under my arms.

"Why are you so tired? What time did you go to sleep?"

I shrugged. I don't remember if I slept. I felt like I was just turning and twisting in bed all night, but every time I looked at the alarm clock it told me a different time so I must have slept at some point.

"If we get the lowest scores on the exams, we have to prepare the back stage!" A girl shouted, causing the girls in the classroom to whine. I chuckled in my own amusement. They were still talking about the ridiculous upcoming dance. Needless to say I hate dances. I hate putting make up on, I hate wearing dresses, you wouldn't catch me dead with heels on and I don't like being too close to the male species.

_I. Hate. Dancing._

"Yea! So everyone must study!" Another girl yelled. She supported her comrade into cheering the girls up by suggesting study groups, and then the two girls glared at me. "Especially you!"

"You know, you're lucky I'm too tired ," I mumbled under my breath. It's sad to think that they believed I would do poorly on an exam just because I didn't know their language fully.

Kiren tried to keep the peace. "Serena, this is Asura Kumori. She's Shizune's new roommate."

She pointed to the first girl who spoke.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh goody, another fan girl to torture."

Asura Kumori had bouncy black curls and onyx eyes. She was shorter than me by three inches, slender and stunning. _And it irked me_. Kiren, hands down, was gorgeous but she didn't flaunt it nor used it to her advantage, which was something I admired about her. Asura, on the other hand, was the type who would bend over so a guy could see up her skirt and immediately agree to anything she said.

Asura eyed me cautiously, as if Shizune told her all about me and my lovely temper. "So you're Serena."

"The one and only."

She shot me a look that told me she wasn't impressed and I smirked in response. It was my way of telling her to back off before I smacked her, but she didn't take the hint.

"You think you're something special, don't you Miss America? Coming over here and taking Idol-senpai from us."

I started laughing. I'll admit. I didn't see that coming. Well maybe I did see that one coming, but the part about stealing Mr. Bunny? Ha! He _stalks_ **me**! Not the other way around!

"Okay, missy, I didn't take crap from you," I snarled at her, taking her by surprise when I yanked her hair and pulled her down to my level, forcing her to meet me eye to eye. I added venom to my voice as I berated her, "So before you go sticking your nose into my business, I suggest you to have a chat with him. Other wise you'll lose that lovely nose of yours."

She immediately stiffened, obviously taking the hint this time and realizing that I was not above breaking her nose.

"You should leave before making everyone else your enemy, Miss America. Go back to where you hail."

This _suggestive_ order came from the second girl who spoke earlier. I moved my head to face her, actually having to look down because she was the shortest in the class and I was making her feel even smaller with my searing glare. I was practically sticking this little girl underneath my microscope and dissecting every inch. The tiny girl next to Asura had spiky brown hair and brown almond shaped eyes. She was slightly plumper than her taller counterpart, but still pretty in a childish-naïve way.

"What are you? Twelve?" I teased.

She snorted, sticking her chin up in a snobby way. "You can poke fun at me all you want, but I know you're just jealous of my beauty."

I coughed and then laughed loudly. "Beauty? _Your beauty_? I didn't ask if you were twelve because of your height—even though you are extremely short. I asked because you have a body of a twelve year old. I mean you have no boobs, no butt and no curves!"

Kiren elbowed me to warn me to stop but I was on a roll. Honestly though they deserved it. I was just sitting here, minding my own business, about to fall asleep and they got in my face to pester me.

_Well that most certainly backfired._

"Here!" I chucked coins and bills at her. "Take some of this money to go buy some shampoo and soap because you smell like shit!"

When the other students heard the coins fall to the floor, their heads spun to gawk at us. Miss Skunk, whom will have that nickname from here on out, looked ready to cry. She knew she technically reeked of cigarette smoke and it was against the rules to smoke in school. However pissed I was _I wasn't_ about to tattle on her, so I oh-so-politely warned her to go clean up. Shizune, who had been watching from the start, had nearly gone purple in the face with outrage and it was Asura who pulled the two girls away from me before I lashed out again, but not before naming me a demon.

Once the three charming piglets were sitting in their seats, the teacher stepped into the classroom and the students acted like nothing happened.

I learned a few weeks ago that the Japanese put effort in keeping their temper in check because it was tradition and a talent they valued. They viewed people who couldn't control their tempers as savages, so I was on that boat. It amused me since I kinda liked being a savage.

It beats being a lady any day.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

"You were too harsh on her," Kiren frowned, narrowing her emerald eyes at me. "Are you even listening?"

"On who? Miss Skunk?" I was just coming back from daydreaming—only because I realized what time it was. The 'exchange' was about to occur.

She shot me a dark glare and snapped. "Just because you are unhappy with your physical appearance does not mean you can ridicule others for theirs."

I made no effort to reply.

"Kiren-chan! May I speak to you?" A feminine voice interrupted us and my eyes landed on a girl with light brown hair. Sayori Wakaba was her name, I think. The said girl was waving at us and smiling gently.

Kiren waved back. "Just a moment!"

She sent me another warning glare. "Don't say anything to anyone if you're not in a good mood. Just ignore them."

"Yes Mom."

That earned me a light smack on the back, but she took off to meet with our classmate before I could retaliate. So with her absence came the sudden cheers of rabid women chasing after their celebrities. My eyes zoomed in on a certain blonde haired idiot waving, winking and blowing kisses at the crowd of female students. It had been two weeks since we last saw each other and neither of us had bothered to acknowledge that the other existed until now.

_Too bad I don't have my baseball bat with me._

I heard more screams, louder this time and I realized it was because the mob was getting closer to where I was standing. I cursed the school for having such a small campus and quickly made my way to the nearest tree, swinging myself onto the branch. Mr. Bunny was still in his blissful oblivion, getting close enough for me to throw a branch at his thick head. That's if I could find a branch big enough to hit him with.

I prefer my baseball bat. It would do more damage since it was metal.

As if he could sense my eyes making holes in the back of his head, Mr. Bunny turned his face to glare right back at me and we glared at each other like it was a contest to see who would die first until a fan jumped in front of him and Yuuki attempted to peel her off.

"Idol-sempai is my God! Do not remove me from my God!" The fan girl screamed, seizing his arm tightly.

From where I stood I could see his frustrated face as he tried to snake his arm out. Funny, usually he likes the attention but I realized the fan was Miss Skunk herself. I inwardly laughed at him, knowing the reason he was trying to get rid of her was because of the smell. However, as more women started to throw themselves on top of him, a vein popped on top of my head and I snarled, sensing my temper flare again.

_Possessive, much?_

I jumped down from the tree, landing gracefully on my feet and rolled my eyes as I once more heard the declarations of undying love. Bright yellow and white lights flashed from cameras and I watched the prefects scold the girls for taking photos. I sighed, knowing that the girls were probably thinking that the world was a sad place when a person couldn't take a picture of their favorite idol. The photos and undeveloped films were torn up.

"If he's God then I must be the Devil," I announced at the top of my voice so everyone could hear me. I only wanted to temporarily divert the rabid women's attention, allowing him some time to get away but I didn't expect everyone to stop what they were doing just so they could stare at me.

Even the Night Class halted.

Asura giggled, batting her eyes at Takuma. "I agree! You _are_ the Devil! Even your hair spells out you're a freak!"

I cocked my eyebrow at her and licked my lips intentionally. "Wow, you're brave for actually saying that to my face rather than behind my back. A freak huh? Well then, get our of this freak's way before she _eats_ you."

Asura—maybe she wasn't too bright—squeaked and hid behind Shizune as if her roommate was going to protect her.

Shizune shook her head at me. "Turning Cannibal on us, Serena? How disgusting."

"You should try it sometime Shizune. Chop off your finger. It might taste better than you think," I hissed at her.

Her face scrunched up, probably imagining the scene. "You're disgusting, Fontana. To think I roomed with you."

I smirked, shrugging my shoulders and then caught the glint of surprise in the eyes of the Night Class students.

Takuma waved at me kindly. "Serena, if you could choose to be God or the Devil, which would it be?"

He sounded curious, playful and innocent even, but his eyes seemed to look for comfort. It confused me and made me feel uncomfortable.

He didn't have the oceanic eyes Mr. Bunny had, no, but they were penetrating in their own way. While Mr. Bunny's eyes had the ability to lure me in and drown me, Takuma's eyes had a different ability. It's true that the ocean was deep, able to play the role of grim reaper by robbing the air in your lungs, and yet essential for life too. After all, where would Earth be without water? But forests were different kind of strength. Trees are what provide Earth with oxygen and give shelter to the animal life.

And that's what Takuma's forest green eyes reminded me of. They were mysterious, hidden and profound. A possible safe shelter from a thunderstorm. It made me feel awkward because I've always had to defend myself, but here was someone gentle enough to _look like he cares._

Green orbs waited patiently for me to answer, an answer I myself was struggling to find.

"Didn't you hear her? She said she was the Devil!" Miss Skunk answered him, wailing because Mr. Bunny had succeeded in escaping her death grip. "She's a demon!"

Mr. Bunny, who was now standing next to someone with orange-looking wild hair, shot her a heated glare.

After looking at Takuma's face, which was still gentle and making me fidget nervously, I replied slowly.

Somewhat afraid of sounding stupid.

"I'd be both."

That response created a racket among the female population.

"You can't be both!"

"You're just a Devil! Hogging him all to yourself!"

"Half breed, maybe?"

"Fallen Angel!"

"No angel for her! A vampire! Hahaha!"

The last remark triggered many different reactions from the Night Class. Some of them stiffened and took in deep breaths. Some of them twitched with anger and the remaining looked thwarted. Mr. Bunny, who managed to grab my attention again, looked like someone rejected him on a first date. His oceanic eyes, the currents, were moving again. Switching from anger to disappointment.

"Why both, Fontana-chan?" Takuma's face had gone from kind to melancholy, and his eyes still searched for comfort. At this point I could barely hear him because of the fans going haywire and I was starting to twitch from all the attention I was receiving.

_How the hell does Mr. Bunny manage to handle the spotlight?_

I swallowed nervous vomit. "To be both God and Devil is to be human," I stated loudly so he could hear me. "Anyone can choose to be good or evil."

If Kiren were here, listening to this crap, she would have been proud. I was finally saying something smart for a change that didn't depend on sarcasm. Relief spread quickly in the Night Class students' eyes and I was beginning to think maybe they're a cult.

A dangerous, voodoo like cult and one day I was going to find a doll figure of myself in Mr. Bunny's pocket with pink pins all over it.

I was about to walk away from the crowd when I noticed three things: Takuma smiling at me triumphantly as if I just made his day…err… night. Mr. Bunny looking at me in an odd way and a girl with pale pink hair who I've never seen before.

She was licking her lips dangerously.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"That was nice of you," Yuuki said, catching up with me after the Night Class students had gone to class. "You took the attention off of-"

"Mr. Bunny so he could get rid of Miss Skunk, I know. She must have smelled something horrible."

Actually, part of me was regretting my action. I should have left him to the hungry, rabid rapists.

Yuuki chuckled. "You have a weird way of nicknaming people, but I appreciate what you did. And I'm sure they did too."

She smiled at me the way Takuma did- _the sweet, genuine smile_-- and it made me feel uncomfortable so I looked down. When I looked back to tell her that I wasn't going to disobey the rules tonight she was gone. I shrugged it off, knowing that she was probably doing her prefect duties.

VVVVVVVV

I had been bombarding Kiren with information about the star blue-white star named Spica when we both heard our class president giving Yuuki an earful about the dance and how important it was to him for the third time. The guy really was obsessed about that Ruka girl. I tried to ignore him, returning to the subject. Kiren was enthusiastic to learn so when I told her that the star would make an appearance next to the full moon tonight, she grinned. The moon was in Virgo tonight, Virgo being my zodiac sign, which is really ironic. Virgo was the virgin and symbol of the harvest. She is the lady of the Zodiac and I am nowhere near lady. I asked Kiren for her birthday so I could do her charts and she turned out to be a Capricorn.

No longer we got along. We were both earth elementals.

"YOU CAN'T GO THAT WAY!" a frustrated male voice shouted and we came to a stop.

A second later I heard a high pitch giggle and a blur of pink went past me. I watched as the same pink haired girl from four days ago glide across the well groomed gardens. She ran out of Takuma's reach and Takuma chased after her.

"Yuuukii-chan! "

_Oh God not him. Anyone but him._

A vein popped on my forehead and I clenched my fists in aggravation as Mr. Bunny wrapped his arms around Yuuki and the girls around us squealed with jealousy. He bent down to whisper in her ears, sending my temper scaling to new levels of fury. I watched him release her and the silver haired prefect ask him to go somewhere where they could talk.

"He's a dead man, isn't he?" Kiren sighed, raising her hand to pat my back but then thought against it.

"Which is more painful? Burning or drowning?" I growled, snapping a twig with my fingers.

"Don't make me answer such an inquiry, Serena, it brings bad luck," Kiren frowned, "Why does it upset you to see him acting like that anyway? It's nothing new."

I ignored the question, turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

Okay, so I was actually _stomping_ in the opposite direction.

After ten minutes of wandering on my own I literally ran right into the same bloody pink haired student. We stared at each other before she smiled innocently and apologized for running into me, bowing slightly.

"Yea, okay, whatever," I mumbled in English and my eyes took in the appearance of her uniform. It was dirty.

"Oh! So you speak English? I am so sorry!" The girl bowed again.

"Well, actually, I understood the _first_ apology," I murmured in annoyance, suddenly focused on her eyes.

Her predator eyes that were narrowing at me.

"My name is Bokyo Kaede." She smiled sweetly.

"Uh huh…"

I studied her body language, which indicated she meant no harm. She appeared fragile, small, but I knew better to underestimate 'weak' people. Erica taught me to be more suspicious of delicate looking people. They were the ones who normally carried weapons since those who could take care of themselves used their bodies to fight. I felt my inner Kiren jabbing me with her fingers, signaling me to mind my manners.

"Right, I mean my name is Fontana Serena."

"What are you doing here? Alone?"

When she said here, she meant out in the middle of nowhere because while I was throwing my little tantrum I had stalked off to God-knows-where. I didn't like the way her yellow-green eyes stared at me or the way she stressed the word alone.

But instead of giving into the ominous atmosphere around her, I fought my ground and made myself sound as rude as possible. "You mean it isn't obvious?"

Kaede chuckled, ignoring my sarcastic reply. "I thought this area was off limits to the Day Class students."

I blinked…so just _where_ did I trudge myself off to? I shrugged, attempting to seem aloof and completely aware of where I was. "Rules are meant to be broken."

"Hmmm…." Kaede's eyes narrowed at me again and she gently caressed her chin with her index finger. "You look…tasty."

"I look what?" I snapped.

She had said tasty so quietly that I nearly didn't catch it. She smiled at me, opening her mouth to say something but another voice in the distance shouted, "Kaede!"

The next thing I knew Takuma was standing directly in front of me. I blinked repeatedly and rubbed my eyes. I knew I was tired, but how did he do that?

"Kaede! You can't just disobey rules! We are not allowed out during the day!" Takuma frowned, not noticing me yet.

"I only wanted to take a look around," she huffed.

I took my time observing her and the way she treated Takuma, which was much like she was toying with him.

"And you shouldn't even be here. This area is for Night Class students only," Takuma scolded me, if not lightly. Even with a frown on his face I could see the mirth in his eyes.

"Right, well, I'll be on my way now," I grumbled, feeling uncomfortable with the two.

I wasn't annoyed with Takuma—there was no way I could be. Damn polite boy. No, I was irritated with her. I had come this way to get away from Mr. Bunny and I had to run into her of all people. I didn't bother waving or saying bye, advancing back to the academy only to see Mr. Bunny on the roof talking to the prefect still. He was balancing himself on something when he looked like he was taken by surprise and looked behind him.

I frowned, wondering what happened. I couldn't see from down below and judging by their faces it wasn't good.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

I felt an elbow stab my side and I grunted, knowing well it was Kiren who was trying wake me.

"Hey, class is over, come on."

"Is it? Already?" I raised my head an inch to look around, finding an empty classroom. Wow, I must have slept through the whole lecture. I gradually stood up, yawned and heard my back _pop. _

_I should stop sleeping in chairs. _

"Ugh," I mumbled, feeling like a zombie and allowed Kiren to drag me by the hand, leading me back to our room.

"Have you not been sleeping again?" Her voice sounded far away.

I nodded, shuffling my feet after her.

"Why? I don't hear you at night so it can't be nightmares."

I heaved my shoulders, not knowing what to say to her. She suddenly halted and I collided into her. Not really caring that she stopped, I dropped my chin onto her shoulder and nearly fell asleep on the spot until I heard the class president shriek with happiness because everyone had passed their exams.

Kiren smiled politely and with a gentle tone asked him, "Could you please step aside? We're trying to get to our room."

However the overwhelmed idiot didn't hear her and continued to celebrate by bouncing around the hallway.

I sighed, too tired to be patient and shoved the class president onward once he got close enough. "Move out of my way."

He spun around on his heel, lifting his hand to slap the person who shoved him and then quickly stopped when he realized it was me. "You! You…you did nicely on the exam."

I forced myself to smile. I had actually gotten average due to my lack of sleep, but I doubt the class president was brave enough to argue with me. "Uh huh, now move."

He swiftly stepped aside and returned to bouncing with excitement once we turned the corner and stepped outside. Kiren chuckled, grabbing my arm and placed it around her neck.

"I might as well carry you."

I lifted my head to thank her but then caught a glimpse of familiar pink hair. Kaede Bokyo was leaning against a tree a few yards in front of me and my nerves went haywire. Our eyes locked.

Yellow green eyes vs. mud brown.

Predator vs. prey.

Kiren cleared her throat, slightly waved her hand at the Night Class student and yanked on my forearm. When I didn't respond, she roughly pinched my arm and the pain forced me to look away from the Night Class student.

Kiren frowned and swayed her hips so she would bump me, "Serena-chan."

"Huh?" I said once I came out of my daze. "What?"

"You froze up," she stated and I heard the concern in her voice.

"I'm fine." I forced myself to smile but she didn't buy it.

"You tensed up and became extremely pale. I thought you were going to faint."

I blinked. "I did?"

Then I noticed just how tightly my fists were clenched. My nails were digging into my palms, drawing out little lines of blood. My legs were unsteady and my head felt heavier than a boulder.

"I'm just tired Kiren," I told her.

"Sure," she said, again not buying my lies.

I glanced back at the tree to find Kaede missing and frowned. She had struck a bad nerve in me.

I wasn't going to like little Miss Pinky. Not one bit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay, so I decided to have this take place after the incident with Rido. So...it's a year after Rido's death when Serena started to attend the Cross Academy. I didn't feel like messing with the original events that took place in the manga. (yes...this means Yuuki has already become a vampire--will explain later)

Just to clear up any future confusions oO;;

Haha I have an obsession with eyes, can you tell?

Thank you for reviewing! I'm updating as fast as possible, but I'm starting a new job in a few days so...might take a little bit more time.

Till next time!


	7. Dance with me

Chapter Seven: Dance with me

"It's Saturday! Come on! I know you need to go shopping." Kiren opened the curtains and the sunlight hit my face like a baseball, making me wince and groan.

Kiren sighed, putting her hands on her hips before yanking my bedcovers off. "Serena! Get up!"

I eyeballed her. "This is about that dance, isn't it?"

"You need a dress. I've seen your closet."

"You invaded my closet?" I asked her, not believing my ears.

"You leave the door open all the time silly."

I groaned again, turning over in my bed without the covers and shoved my head under the pillow. "I'm not going."

"Why not? It'll be fun," she insisted.

"They always say that like it's gonna work," I mumbled.

"Ugh! You leave me no choice!" Kiren huffed, leaving the room and after five minutes she held up my journal. "If you don't get up, I will tear out the pages and give every page to a every student."

_I'll be damned. She's actually threatening me._

"But it's nine in the morning," I grunted, curling up in fetal position and I heard her laugh.

"Early bird gets the worm!"

I sighed, cursing her cheerful morning personality and sat up. "But the early worm gets eaten."

She laughed again, patting my head. "You're funny in the morning."

"Glad you think so." I slowly made my way to the bathroom and started to brush my teeth at a painfully slow pace.

"Good! Now we can go get our dresses! Look, we even have permission to leave school boundaries!" She fluttered the permission slips in front of my face.

"I'm nawt goahn tew tah dabce," I said with my toothbrush in my mouth still, making her chuckle.

"Translation?"

I spat out the toothpaste. "I'm not going to-"

"Yes you are!" she interrupted, appearing at the doorway of the bathroom. "I already told Aidou-sempai and Ichijou-sempai you were going."

I froze and gawked at her in shock. "You did _what_?"

Kiren let out a childish giggle. "You should have seen their faces! They were excited!"

I frowned. "You lie. Why the hell would they care? And when did you get the chance to tell them anyway? And remember, Mr. Bunny still has a stick up his ass because of what happened the last time."

The more I scowled at her in disbelief the more she grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"What?"

"What's your favorite color?" she asked innocently.

I gave her an irritated glare. "We're not buying me a dress, Kiren."

"Fine! If you won't tell me then I'll just pick one out!" She huffed.

I made a strangling gesture with my hands in front of her face. "UGH! Why do you want me to go so bad?"

She pouted. " 'Cause I'd be lonely with you."

_You've got to be kidding._

"You wouldn't leave me all by my lonesome with those Night Class students and those horrible fan girls, would you?" She gave me a puppy eye look, her hands together like she was praying.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure you can handle them."

Then she suddenly dropped to her knees and attached herself to my legs. "PLEASE! PLEASE COME WITH ME TO THE DANCE!"

"Down girl! Normal people sleep at this hour!" I winced, covering my ears as her voice echoed in my head, but she wouldn't stop. After an excruciating hour, making it in ten in the morning, I helplessly surrendered.

She squealed with happiness, springing up from her former position and grabbed my hands. "THANK YOU!"

She busied herself with 'housework', cleaning our room and placing everything back in its spot.

"So when do we leave?" I asked, sighing as I picked out my clothing for the day.

"As soon as I wake Yuuki up."

I turned to face her, confused. "Huh?"

She chuckled. "You didn't think we could go out of the academy's boundaries without the prefects, did you? They're coming too."

"Oh damn," I sighed.

Not that I mind Yuuki, but that other prefect was going to be bothersome since he was a guy.

A guy who will probably complain about how long it was taking.

A guy who will probably complain about the bags.

A guy who will see me in a dress.

The thought made me cringe.

VVVVVVV

"Come on, Serena! Come out! I want to see the dress on you!" Kiren pleaded but I was standing my ground.

"I am not. And that's final."

"It can't be that bad," said Yuuki.

I sighed, rubbing my face in annoyance and rolled my eyes.

"If you want I'll tell Zero to take a hike and meet us somewhere when we're done," she continued.

"No that would be rude," I told her. "But thanks."

Getting there had been easy. It was finding a good store that proved to be difficult. Kiren and I actually had the same taste in dresses so we agreed that most dresses were too revealing. Yuuki, on the other hand, liked the really feminine dresses. Glitter, sparkle, stars and hearts were her choices on dresses. Kiren had shrugged, saying that flash was not her style, but I had stared at Yuuki like she had lost her mind. I mean...wouldn't all that crap bother her? Make her itch? Or something?

But Yuuki picked out a blue dress that cut at her knees. It was decorated with a little bit of glitter on her chest and there were two black laces that formed into a heart on her side. I'll admit it was a gorgeous dress, but I would never wear it. She looked cute in it though.

After two hours, making it noon, meaning now I'm starving, we found an exquisite department store. Kiren had finished her shopping, having decided on a silk green dress that brought out her eyes. It was sleeveless and exposed her back. She looked like a Greek river goddess when she tried it on. The dress flowed with her body like a cascading waterfall, but cupped her breasts tightly and tugged them upward.

The dress I was currently wearing was actually picked out by Kiren. It was a black silk dress that had a deep v-shape plunge, showing only a bit of my chest in a graceful way rather than provocative. The bottom of the dress was laced with red ribbons and the ribbons tied together behind my back.

"Oh Serena, will you at least let me in?" Kiren pouted.

I quickly opened the door, letting only her peek in and a gasp escaped from her lips.

"It's beautiful!"

I rolled my eyes again and pulled her into the changing room. She looked me up and down, studying the dress with her keen feminine eye and smiled.

"Okay, now only one thing is missing."

"What?" I asked tiredly.

"A strapless bra. Your dress has a red bow at the middle of your back and then the top is like a halter-top. For the most part, your back is exposed like mine," she explained. "Do you know your size?"

I blushed, knowing that the male prefect was standing outside the door and probably heard every word.

Kiren lightly smacked herself on the forehead, realizing why I had reacted that way. "Sorry, totally forgot about him. Whisper it in my ears."

"Why? I can buy a bra by myself."

"Do you know how to convert American sizes to Japanese?" she asked curiously.

"Err…no…okay…it's…wait…" I sighed and made my voice louder so the male prefect could hear me. "Hey no offense man, but could you go…walk around for a bit."

I heard him smirk on the other side and heard his footsteps as he walked away. I blew out a breath of air and then whispered my size to Kiren.

Kiren blinked at first and then actually had the nerve to giggle. "Wow, I knew you were big, but not that big."

"You're lucky I love you," I grumbled as I felt heat rush to my face again. "Just go get me one please. Black."

"Well obviously black."

"Hey! Now that he's gone, can I see the dress too?" Yuuki questioned playfully from outside the door. "I wanna see!"

I opened the door all the way and immediately regretted it. The prefect had let out a long, loud squeal of delight and grabbed the ends of the dress.

"It's sooooo pretty!" Her eyes glittered and her grin became contagious.

"I know!" Kiren squealed back, grinning as well. "And she looks even more adorable when she blushes!"

"I'm surrounded by girly girls," I groaned but my comment went completely unnoticed as the two girls examined my dress.

"You hungry?" a male voice inquired and I looked up to see the other prefect standing close by, leaning against the wall.

I yelped out of surprise and embarrassment, slammed the door shut with a loud BANG and looked down at my feet.

_HE SAW...HE JUST...HE...HE JUST SAW ME IN A DRESS! _

Yuuki blinked, having a late reaction to the sound of the door slamming. "Was that Zero? Let me-"

She had the door only slightly ajar but it was quickly slammed shut when I shoved it again with more energy than the first time.

She giggled, noticing my panicked facial expression. "What's wrong? It's only Zero."

"She's right you know," Kiren smiled. "Besides, you need to get over it. Soon. Because everyone at the dance will see you in this dress."

"I haven't even bought it yet!" I squeaked in my defense and my eyes widened in horror when I realized the truth in her words.

The whole friggin' school was gonna see me!

I felt like melting into a puddle, this way no one could grab me or force me to go. I'd be a puddle. Puddles don't go to school dances. They just...lay there and be a puddle. Puddles can't move, can they?

Yuuki laughed, "Okay Serena, we'll let you change and pay for the dress. Meanwhile, Zero and I are going to go look for places to eat because we heard your stomach rumbling before you tried on the dress."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You told me he was gone."

She blinked innocently. "Well he was gone, but you can't expect him to be gone for a long time. He's here with us you know."

"Yea, yea, to escort us," I grumbled, covering my chest with my shirt as I tried to put on my jeans. I was glad that on weekends the students could wear what they want because the skirts were driving me nuts. I only left the changing room when I made sure that both prefects were gone and went to pay. Kiren had yet to stop giggling.

"What's so funny?" I turned to her, annoyed that she found my blushing amusing.

"I was just imagining…how you would react once Aidou-sempai saw you at the party." She covered her mouth, at least trying to hide the fact that she was laughing.

"Oh yea." I felt light headed all of the sudden. "…that would…be a sight to see I guess. Ugh! Woman! Lets just go eat okay?"

She continued to laugh. "Yea, whatever you say."

Yuuki and…Zero was his name right? Were waiting for us outside the entrance to the store and I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes anymore, so I followed them by looking where their feet moved.

"We're gonna go get the drinks, okay? You two wait here," Yuuki stated calmly and took Kiren with her before I could open my mouth to reject.

I narrowed my eyes at the two, brainstorming their future deaths in my head and stiffened when I felt movement ahead of me. I took a chance and looked up to see Zero staring at me.

"Err...umm…well...hi?"

'_Cause this isn't awkward._

"What did you want to eat?" he asked, his voice indifferent.

I tried to relax. "Uh…I…honestly don't know…what's safe?"

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Safe?"

"I mean…God damn it," I swore in English and he continued to look around as if he found everything boring.

_How could Yuuki just leave me like that? She knows that Kiren is my human dictionary!_

And then to my surprise, I heard him chuckle and glanced at him to see him holding up a cup…of something.

"Try this," he said.

"What is it?" I ogled it, expecting it to be contaminated.

"You might not want to know the ingredients, but I can guarantee you it'll taste good," he promised.

_Oh yea, 'cause that makes everything all the better...why don't I just check myself in a clinic?_

I looked back and forth between him and the cup and gulped.

"Okay, but if I get sick, I'm kicking your ass."

He _almost_ cracked a smile.

I took it from him, sipping it a little at a time and when I decided it was okay, I drank the whole thing. It was vegetable soup with some strips of beef. Nothing too fancy or strange.

I smiled at him in thanks. "Not bad."

He shrugged it off. Then came the awkward silence and I looked towards the sky and begged. Begged for those two to come back.

"So your name is Fontana Serena, correct?" he questioned out of the blue.

I eyed him. "What about it?"

He shrugged.

"Well what's your name, you didn't exactly introduce yourself."

"Kiryuu Zero," he stated.

"Zero is a weird name."

"And Fontana isn't?" he retorted.

"Yea but Zero is a number."

"Only in English."

"And in Spanish, Italian…probably German and French."

He raised his eyebrow at me again and stared. I, not being one to turn down a challenge, stared back.

_Staring contest! I am not afraid of you silver haired beast!_

"We're back!" Yuuki shouted, a big grin on her face and Zero looked away first.

_Thank God._

She threw me a water bottle. "Come on, Kiren and I saw this neat place where we can eat."

I glared at her. "I thought you and Zero went off to look for a place to eat while I was paying."

"Yea…well, we didn't find anything, but Kiren did!"

I was suddenly suspicious that Yuuki had actually pulled Zero aside to talk about the dress.

VVVVVVVVVV

"OOOOH! Aren't you excited?" I heard Shizune exited her room with her posse. "Tonight's the dance!"

A few more girly shrieks and giggles sounded, and I glared at Kiren. Thanks to her I was going to spend the night with my ears echoing with their annoying voices. I exhaled, attempting to stay calm. The nerves in my body had me jittery and anxious. I impatiently tapped my foot as I waited for Kiren to finish her make up and put on her heels. I had prepared for the dance a few minutes before she did, which had been a mistake because that meant I had the time to pace around like a caged animal.

"Okay I'm done," Kiren grinned, snaking her arm around mine. "Let us go, darling!"

I shook my head, deciding that Yuuki had allowed her to drink something while they were out shopping for make up today.

"You look stupendous Serena," she whispered in my ear.

"You mean stupid."

She nudged me with her elbow. "No, I mean-"

"I know what you mean. I'm just giving you a hard time." I forced myself to smile and she tucked a stubborn, rebellious strand of red hair behind my ear.

"You're a queen."

"Queen of hideous red hair."

"Queen Elizabeth had red hair."

This time I really smiled. She was so stubborn! Must be my influence…

The dance wasn't what I expected it to be. Normally a school dance consisted of flashing multi-colored lights, a fake fog, balloons, decorative crap on the walls and people sticking with their cliques. This dance, however, was formal and it reminded me of an old fashioned ball. Everyone looked like they born out of royalty.

It made me fidget.

"Remember now Serena, you're my red haired queen," Kiren said to me softly, smiling at everyone who looked our way.

"If I am the queen, then what are you?"

"I'm your bodyguard," she grinned, winking at me.

I grinned back at her, realizing just how true that was. She wasn't just my bodyguard against the remarks of other people, but against my own self-criticism. She understood that I was my own enemy.

_Kiren, you make me a nicer person._

The violins started and couples began taking over the dance floor. It didn't take too long for the fans to surround the Night Class students and I caught Yuuki sneaking off with… was that Mr. High-and-Mighty? She was sneaking off with him? I noticed Zero didn't look too happy about it either. He had his normal guardian attire, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest and he gave off an annoyed aura. I watched as a female student with light brown hair approach him and start talking to him. I think her name was Shindou...

"Would you like to dance?" a male voice interrupted my thoughts.

Takuma bowed to me and had his hand held out. I gulped, looking at his hand and then at his face. As usual, he was smiling. Does this guy ever have a bad day?

_Wow! It's hot in here!_

"Uh…I...I don't…"

"She'd love to!" Kiren jumped in and gave me a slight push. "Go ahead Serena!"

I felt all my blood rush to my face and I stared at my feet as Takuma placed one hand on my waist and the other held my hand.

"Have you ever danced before?" he asked gently.

"Not really," I mumbled.

He chuckled. "Nervous?"

"You mean you can't tell?" I made a sour face at him.

He kept his smile. "You're not a bad dancer, Serena."

_It's not the dancing I'm worried about._

I didn't reply but I allowed him to lead me and little by little, I relaxed.

"I sense that you don't like dances in general."

"Not really."

"Then why did you come?"

"I'll give you a hint. She's wearing green."

He flashed me a bright smile. "So you're here as her escort?"

"Something of the sorts. I didn't want to leave her with the gang of fans. Apparently they make her nervous."

He made a mocking, serious face. "Oh I can't blame her. They can be quite dangerous when they feel threatened."

"You mean if they think that you're stealing their man? Yea, I know that feeling. In fact, I should probably be watching my back right now." I looked over my shoulder, making him laugh full heartedly. "Oh you find this amusing but I'm serious! I've already been accused of being a thief once!"

He continued to laugh, leaning more into me so he could balance himself on his feet.

"Takuma…you might want to take a breather. You're turning red."

He opened one eye to peek at me in a teasing way. "Look who's talking. You're the one blushing."

"Yea, it's called embarrassment," I retorted.

"You're entertaining," he shrugged, "Different."

"I do try. Not hard though."

He smiled, spinning me at the end of the song and kneeled on the floor to kiss my hand. "Thank you for dancing with me."

I must have gone through all the hues of red and pink because I stopped breathing and managed to only say, "Yea, anytime."

He had stopped dancing right in front of Kiren as if he was dropping me off at home to my mother after a date, and then he walked away. My eyes followed him for a short time, watching him ask another girl to dance with him.

Kiren squealed, latching her arms around my arm. "Oh! That was the most adorable thing I've ever seen!"

Remembering that I needed air to live, I inhaled sharply. "If you say so."

She laughed. "He swept you off your feet, didn't he?"

I scowled. "No, as you can see my feet are still firmly planted on the floor."

"For now," she grinned.

I suddenly felt like I was being watched and turned around to see Mr. Bunny glaring at me. Once I caught him, he quickly looked away and grabbed one of his fans. He began to waltz with her and avoided eye contact with me.

"What's his problem?" I asked out loud.

Kiren blinked, pausing her momentarily excitement, and followed my gaze to Mr. Bunny. "Oh dear."

"What?" I snapped. "What does he want?"

"Well…I think…"

"WHAT?" I threw up my hands. "What's his problem this time?"

"You don't have to yell Serena, I'm standing right next to you," Kiren frowned, "...but I think he's jealous."

Her statement nearly made me fall on my face.

"Jealous? _Jealous?_ Of what? What could he possibly be jealous of?" My temper was starting to show its ugly head. "He's the one who hangs all over other women! And now he's upset because I had _one dance_ with someone else?"

Kiren stared at me calmly. "Serena…are you going to be all right?"

I seethed, balling my fists. "Oh, yea, just _peachy_."

"Serena?" She didn't sound convinced.

"I'm…going for a small walk," I muttered.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Kiren's concerned face studied me.

"No, sorry, no offense."

"None taken. Just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah."

I walked out of the ballroom before I had the chance to hit the stupid rabbit and headed towards one of the many gardens of the academy. Once the warm air hit me—it was May after all—I exhaled and counted to ten to calm down. Thankfully the garden was a little far from the dance so I wouldn't hear the joyful dancers and the ballroom music. I could barely see anything because it was a new moon and the only light outside came from the stars.

"Fontana Serena."

I whirled around to see Mr. Bunny standing behind me. I inwardly laughed, not believing my luck and glared at the heavens. Somebody up there really loves pissing me off.

"What now?" I snapped.

"I was…wondering if we could talk," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully.

I laughed mockingly. "You are talking."

He growled. "You know, you are the most insensitive…"

"If you came out here to insult me, then leave. You only want to talk because I kicked your ass, but honestly," I started advancing on him, getting in his face. Why not? He invades my bubble space all the time. "You have NO consideration to how other people feel because you feel like you shouldn't have to be! You degrade me for calling you a puppy, but you have called me fat, a bitch, insensitive and got into MY business about MY father and you had the nerve to BRING HIM UP! How the hell do you expect a person to accept you for who you are if you're like that?"

"You should talk! You insult people you don't even know!" He threw his hands in the air defensively. "You don't know Kaname-sama and you were already prepared to attack him."

"Yea, I'm working on that, but I accept the fact that I have my faults. However, YOU should be APOLOGIZING to ME," I snarled, but as I stared at his red, frustrated face I couldn't help but chuckle. Angry people amuse me. They just have that face that I could poke fun at. Especially since most of the time I have a mental image of a blow-up fish in my head.

"What's so funny?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"I have to give you props," I sighed, feeling myself calm down and attempted to put the past behind me. He did some points after all. And I really didn't feel like attracting a crowd outside. Not when they were having so much fun inside.

"If I was a guy, I'd be gay," I said flatly.

My sudden change of topic surprised him and it took him a while to realize that I was trying to be friendly. Remember: Trying is the keyword.

He snorted. "Why would you be gay?"

" 'Cause if I ever met a girl like me I'd be tempted to kill her."

And I would too. No doubts there. I can only handle one of me, can you imagine two? Shit! No wonder Erica nearly beat me to death.

"Oh, trust me, I've given it consideration."

I playfully punched him as we started to walk back to the ballroom. "Ass."

"Bitch."

"Fag."

"Would you dance with this fag?" he asked out of the blue, appearing slightly nervous all of a sudden. We had stopped in front of the academy's entrance.

"No, I can't risk getting rabies," I jested.

"Like I'd bite you. You'd most likely be toxic." He narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously.

"Oh I wasn't talking about you," I said as I caught the eyes of the rabid fans glaring at me and I pointed them out to him. "Sorry. I like living."

He followed my index finger, smirked, and waved at his fans. "Pfff. Please. They're more scared of you than you are of them."

"Well good," I grinned, watching his fans blush from being caught.

"So?"

"So what?" I questioned him obliviously.

"For crying out loud woman I just asked you to dance with me!"

"Sorry, memory slipped," I bantered. "And I don't dance."

He glared at me. "Yes you do. I just saw you with Takuma."

"Well if you saw that, then you must have seen how Kiren shoved me into his arms."

"Liar."

"No, seriously. I'm innocent. She shoved me," I stated.

"Kiren-chan? But she's so nice…and gentle…"

"Oh, she's faking it. She's actually really cruel."

"I can't see her being cruel." He glanced at Kiren, who was dancing with Takuma. "Oh, and it looks like she stole your date."

"He is NOT my date," I declared, watching her dance and grinned.

"What are you grinning at?" he asked suspiciously.

"Too bad I can't take a picture of this. It'd be perfect black mail for the future," I said.

"Why would you do that?"

"Black mail her? How do you think she got me to this dance?" I laughed humorlessly. "She threatened to take apart my journal and give it to the fans."

"Smart," he laughed, but once he caught my glare he changed his mind. "I mean, how unkind of her."

My eyes caught a glimpse of silver hair and immediately recognized it as Zero's hair.

"Would you excuse me? I have someone I need to go torture."

Mr. Bunny stared at me. "Torture? Who?"

I pointed at the gloomy looking prefect and the lively currents in Mr. Bunny's eyes froze.

"Oh."

"What?" I asked curiously.

"You should probably leave him alone," he acted standoffish.

I rolled my eyes and stood on my tiptoes to pat him on the head. "Aww, it's okay Mr. Bunny. Remember, you'll always be number one on my hit list. But right now I need to pester someone new. You know? Give you a break."

"You owe me a dance," he declared.

"I don't owe you diddly squat cross dresser," I giggled as I felt the heat from his glare.

"Cross dresser?"

Oh I do smell smoke now.

"Well, yea, you still own those pink panties don't you?"

And there's goes that red traffic light! I took off running before he could strangle me and I would have collided into the prefect if it weren't for his hand, which he had stretched out at the last minute.

"You really shouldn't run in heels," he asserted calmly.

"And you really should learn to be careful of where you put your hands," I told him since his hand nearly touched my chest and watched his cheeks tint with a little bit of pink, and then he shot me an annoyed glare.

"So who are you spying on this time? You've been standing there like a statue the entire night."

"If this is how Americans ask people to dance, my answer is no."

"Oh no, I don't dance. I was gonna-"

"Liar. You have already danced with Takuma."

I almost fell on my face. Did everyone watch me dance with him or something?

I exhaled loudly. "Oh shut up. Kiren shoved me damn it. Blame her."

His face was still as calm and aloof as ever, but his eyes held amusement. "Then what do you want? Assuming that you don't want to dance."

"Where did Mr. High-and-Mighty go off to?" I switched topic.

"I apologize but I know no one of that name."

"He left with the other prefect," I answered.

His eyes quickly narrowed on me and became serious. "Why would you want to know his whereabouts?"

"Curiosity. And don't say it killed the cat because I'm obviously not a cat."

"I wouldn't be able to tell you where he is anyway," he shrugged, becoming indifferent again.

I had already known that but it was a way to make him talk. I had seen the way his eyes stalked the prefect and the Night Class student.

"What's his deal anyway?"

Zero looked down. "What do you mean?"

"He walks like…he's superior to everyone."

He smirked. "You noticed that too."

_AH! I have a reaction! Someone write down the date and time!_

"You better return to Aidou before you make him antsy." Zero's eyes were now focused on the blonde.

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Excuse me? Return to him? What am I? His dog?"

"No, but I know you owe him a dance. Whether you like to dance or not," he smirked.

My eyes landed on Mr. Bunny who was lingering around an orange haired Night Class student. "Ah, he'll be okay."

"You don't know him well enough then."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, annoyed.

"It means that you don't know him."

"Be more specific."

Zero sighed. "Why are you over here, Fontana? To waste my time?"

I grinned. "You figured me out! How many brownie points do you want? Or would you rather have a sticker?"

It was his turn to lift an eyebrow and then he rolled his eyes. "Go away."

"Make me."

He turned to face me fully, giving me his darkest glare.

"Zero, I hope you do know, that you don't scare me," I told him, pinching his cheeks and stretched his cheeks out to make faces.

He whacked my hands away and frowned. "I don't see what he sees in you."

"Who sees what in me?"

"Never mind Fontana," he stated, walking away from me. I didn't bother to go after him, knowing that he was right. Whether I liked it or not, I was going to have to dance.

I sighed, turning around with my arms folded over my chest and my eyes located a familiar pink haired student in the corner of the ballroom. Kaede was sitting in a chair with her legs crossed, both of her arms were on the armrests and her head was tilted to her left. She was wearing a white dress with little pink flowers. It was a simple dress but she somehow made it look more elegant and significant. She smiled when our eyes met, lifting her index finger and motioned me to come to her.

I snorted, shaking my head at her. "You wish."

She shrugged, moving her eyes to Kiren and she grinned. Her grin sent goose bumps up my arms and I shuddered.

"Hey, you ready now?" Mr. Bunny's voice made me jump in surprise. I had been so caught up with Kaede and her creepiness that I hadn't even feel his hand gently touch my shoulder until he had spoken to me.

"Yea, as ready as I ever will be I suppose." I forced myself to smile.

"You make it seem like I'm forcing you to hop off a cliff," he scowled playfully, "Are you okay? You jumped."

"Yea, you just…surprised me. I wasn't paying attention."

He held out his hand to me and I took it with a small smile.

"Damn you have cold hands," he chuckled.

I smirked, shoving my thoughts of Kaede aside. "Yea, I'm a bit coldhearted."

"Nah, rough around the edges maybe, but you're all right."

I blushed and allowed him to lead me.

It was so odd dancing with him. There were moments where I felt tense and not able to breathe, and then there were moments where I felt completely limp in his arms. I blamed his intoxicating cologne for making me light headed and leaned against him. My head found a comfortable place between his head and shoulder and I laid it there.

_I feel…sleepy…hmm...very sleepy indeed. Mr. Pillow?_

But something was crawling up my back and it made my skin feel prickly. I lazily peeked over his shoulder, my eyes finding Kaede again. Her predator eyes stung me and I felt frozen on the spot.

"You okay?" he whispered in my ear, tickling it and I tilted my head to rub my ear against my shoulder. I nodded but didn't say anything, still watching little Miss Pinky with her dangerous eyes scanning the room.

"You stiffened all of a sudden though."

I smiled. "I'm fine, Aidou."

"It's Hanabusa," he corrected me.

"Yea, yea, whatever."

I swallowed nervously and calmed only after Kaede left the ballroom.

I better watch her closely in the future.

Ignorance isn't bliss.

Not when it can get you killed.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"You like him. Just admit it you stubborn mule," Kiren grinned.

"I'll admit to nothing. We're friends, if that," I rolled my eyes.

_We're friends when we're not trying to kill each other._

"Yea, but I saw how you guys danced."

"I think just about anyone who had eyes saw us," I stuck out my tongue playfully.

"Yes, but it was so romantic!" she squealed.

"I think you're the only one who thought it was romantic," I chuckled as she threw her pillow at my face. "Well, what about you and Takuma, hmmm? What's the story?"

She blushed a dark shade of red. "There is no story!"

"AH HUH! You blushed! There IS a story!" I declared, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "SPILL!"

"There is not!" She ducked under her covers as I chucked back her pillow. "We were just dancing!"

"Oh! But it was romantic!" I mocked her.

"Serena, you're not funny," she pouted.

"This coming from the person who shoved me."

"It was the only way to get you to dance!" she huffed.

"So when do I get the wedding invitations? I have a busy life you know, but Takuma seems to be a patient-" I dodged the flying literature book and laughed at her. "You're so violent."

"Hypocrite. And who said I'd invite you to my wedding? You'd most likely beat up my husband," she giggled. "You're worse than having a brother."

A knock sounded on our door and we looked at each other.

"We're probably being too loud," Kiren mumbled, getting up to answer the door and I followed right behind her.

Our dorm president stood with a frown on her face. "Ladies, it's going on two in the morning. Please keep your voices down."

Kiren flashed her a knowing smile. "Yes, sorry. Good night."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That was my longest yet!

I apologize for spoiling it for those who haven't read the manga and didn't know Yuuki turned into a vampire. I need to learn when to keep my mouth shut about things...blah. Serena won't find out about the Vampires for a while...I mean, you have to build up before you get to the real fun, don'tcha?

BTW, does anyone know the actual name for the blow up fish? Like the one in Finding Nemo?

And I wanted to ask about the abilities of all the Vampires...if someone could please list off their abilities (Besides Shiki, Aidou and Kain...I know theirs...) that would be lovely!

Anyway! Thank you so much for reviewing! And I hope you enjoyed this chapter too.


	8. Someone to rely on

Chapter eight: Someone to rely **on**

Summer arrived with all of its glory. The sticky, humid weather was making it hard for me to breathe.

Oh wait, that's 'cause I'm in the States.

After the dance, the 'friendship' (and I say this because we have a very complicated bond) between me and Mr. Bunny became…strange. We didn't argue as viciously as we used to, but we teased each other. Though there were still moments where my teasing would go too far and he would make a remark that caused me to smack him furiously. What became more frequent, as Kiren likes to point out every single time, were the stares. Some days I'd catch him staring at me as he waved to his fans and he would wink, and I would roll my eyes at him. Other days he'd catch me staring and I would feel all the blood rush to my head and I'd tell him the sun was making me feel dizzy.

Even though the sun wasn't present...

I explained to Kiren that it was just two 'friends' acknowledging each other's presence rather than ignoring them, but Kiren only nodded her head and said, "Suure, I believe you."

But what else was I supposed to say? It wasn't like I actually understood what was going on. Mr. Bunny is my first male friend. Can anyone blame me for being slightly clueless as to how I'm supposed to behave? Maybe she's right. Perhaps staring is impolite.

Before leaving the Cross Academy for summer break, Mr. Bunny had asked me if there was any way he could keep in touch with me and I had felt awkward giving him my phone number. It was the first time I ever gave out my phone number to a guy, and part of me had doubts. He probably wouldn't call. In fact, he won't call. Guys don't call.

They 'forget' to.

Kiren was more than happy to bombard me with everything she had: her mailing address, email address, home phone number, cell phone number and her parents' numbers. All just in case I couldn't reach her the_ first_ several times.

The flight back to America was exhausting. I forgot that when returning to the other side of the world you were gaining back your days instead of losing them. It was like time travel. I left Japan eleven at night and was able to get a close up of the stars while the plane was in the air. It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. I felt like I could touch them...if it weren't for those damn windows...

The moon kind of bothered me though. It was so bright that I had to block it with my hand so I could see the stars. It was as if the moon had become the sun. Thank God Earth isn't that close to the moon. I'd be blind.

Then time went backwards. Midway through the flight it became afternoon of the same day I left.

I watched through the window as the bumpy clouds coated themselves with hot pink and orange swirls. Funny how clouds look like land when the airplane is above them. They're just white, soft-looking hills. I preferred it when there were clouds because during the time the airplane was going over water, I couldn't tell where the ocean ended and where the sky started. It gave me a brief understanding of what it was like in outer space.

No up. No down. Just air.

And it was weird.

The flight was smooth and for the first time, I was able to sleep! No near-deaths turbulences and I didn't have to grip the armrest like it would be the only thing that could save me. If I remember right, it was the flight _to_ Japan that was a nightmare. I had a kid sitting behind me who wouldn't stop kicking my chair and he kept screaming at his parents that he didn't like the food that the airline provided. My luck, my headphones didn't work so I couldn't watch the movie and I was stuck listening to that kid scream.

That is, until his mother fell asleep and his father got up to use the restroom.

I had turned around in my seat, shot him my deadliest glare and whispered, "Keep this up, and I'll tell the pilot to throw you out."

Of course the kid didn't believe me and voiced it too, waking his mother up and informed her of what I had said. She told me to not to speak to her child like that and she couldn't believe that I would say such a thing. She then asked the stewardess if I could be moved somewhere else because she didn't feel comfortable with me sitting there, threatening her son.

It only took an hour, but the parent got what she wanted and I was moved. The kid grinned at me devilishly and stuck out his tongue as if it would have insulted me, but I laughed 'cause I had gotten what I wanted.

To get away from the annoying brat.

Peace and quiet at last.

No wonder old people hate kids.

Once the plane landed, I had gone to grab my luggage and patiently waited for Mom to show up. Normally she was early or right on time, but she ran late that day. When I saw her I just about dropped all my bags in shock.

She had dyed her hair red and not just any red, but_ flaming_ red.

--_--Flashback_

"Hey darling, sorry I'm late," she smiled and I noticed how her gray eyes glittered. "It's just so early in the morning."

"It's ten in the morning. I think early has gone and died," I shot her a tired glare. I had only slept for seven hours on the airplane, but the flight had been long and it still made me feel exhausted.

"So who is he?" I bluntly tested her.

"He who?" she blinked innocently.

So I _was_ right.

"The guy you dyed your hair for. You _hate_ red hair," I retorted.

She waved her hand. "What are you talking about, Serena? How could I hate red hair when you have red hair? Hmm?"

I quickly became annoyed, catching the scent of alcohol even though she wasn't standing close to me. "Okay, what did you drink? You reek of alcohol. Don't you know it's against the law to drink and drive?"

"I'm not drunk," she frowned yet she stumbled over her own feet and nearly tripped over my luggage.

It's sad knowing that the day I come back to the States, Mom decides to get hammered.

"What does DUI stand for?" I quizzed her.

She hiccupped, covering her mouth and chin with her right palm. "Drinking under the influence?"

"You're tipsy. Not wasted, but still not in the right conditions to drive," I sighed, fishing for my license. Thank God I had gotten it before I left for Japan. "I'm driving."

"No you're not," she whined, hiccupping again. "It's my car."

"And this is my life. I'd like to keep it," I argued.

I made her pick up the luggage and carry it to the car. I took the keys from her despite her constant whining about being able to drive.

_Like I'd take that chance._

However, I was about to put the car in drive when I thought, 'Hmmm...what sounds nicer in the headlines? 'DRUNK MOTHER DROVE AND CAUSED FATAL ACCIDENT' or 'YOUNG GIRL FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL'?

Either way I saw myself dying.

I took Mom's silver iphone and searched for the only person who was old enough to drive and whom I trusted. Mrs. Rangus...the neighbor who I had bitched at on that infamous slap day. The phone rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello?" A gentle feminine voice asked.

"Hey Mrs. Rangus, it's Serena Fontana. I was wondering if Mom could call in a favor."

"What is it?" came the tired response.

"Well you see, Mother dearest here isn't in the best...condition to drive and neither am I."

"You need me to pick up from the airport?" There was a hint of annoyance in her voice and I ignored it.

"That would be lovely if you could."

"I'll be there within an hour."

"Thank you so much!" I tried to sound as cheerful as possible but Mrs. Rangus only grunted in reply.

So I turned off the car and waited for a lady with white curly hair and dull rusty-hued eyes to drive up to the pavement. Mom giggled as I forced her to put her head onto my lap as we sat on the green, cold metal bench outside of the airport. Finally, my oh-so-charming neighbor pulled up to us, giving me a frown. She unlocked the doors.

"Thank you so much," I repeated, more tiredly this time. "And I'm very sorry."

"Just get in." She gestured me with her hands to enter the car. "I'm in a hurry. I have grocery shopping to do today."

Normally I would have offered to do it for her but I was too tired.

"What about our car darling?" Mom asked with a sheepish grin on her face.

"I'll come back to get it with Erica," I said vaguely, already feeling my eyes close.

"Don't bother. I'll have my husband and son come get it for you. Just give me the keys."

I handed over the car keys since I wasn't in the mood to argue. It wasn't the first time that Mrs. Rangus had to pick us up and take the car. Mom likes her alcohol and in the past I would stay up too late to gaze at the stars, so I was tired by the time Mom needed me to drive her somewhere or something among those lines. Not even fifteen minutes later, I fell asleep. Technically speaking it was noon of the next day for me so it was understandable that I was tired. When we arrived home, Mrs. Rangus shook my shoulder and woke my mother, who was sleeping on my right shoulder.

I thanked her again and slowly removed the luggage from the trunk, fumbling over the keys as I tried to unlock the door. My eyes felt like they were sometimes crossing themselves and drooping down to my knees. Mom leaned her left elbow onto my shoulder, needing support to stand up and after five minutes--I had to find the right stupid key--the door opened and I led Mom to the couch so she could rest there rather than follow me around.

I took the liberty of dragging my luggage into my room and closed the door when I got everything in.

I don't remember ever making it to the bed, but that's where I woke.

--_End of flashback_

I stared at the man who sat in front of me at the dinner table, studying him with a cynical eye.

"Your name?"

"Adam Motsies."

"And where are you from?" I interrogated.

"Stop that Serena, it's not like he's an illegal alien." Mom lightly shoved me but I ignored her.

"I asked you where you're from."

"South Dakota."

"What are you doing in Virginia?"

"Met your Mom while you were-"

"Away and what? You thought you should pop in to see her while her extra baggage was currently missing in action? She must have warned you that I was a pain the ass," I cut him off coldly.

He sighed hesitantly and cleared his throat. "No it's my only time off of work."

"Oh," I said, trying to sound interested, "And just what do you do? Mister…"

"Motsies. Adam Motsies," he frowned at me. "I'm a government analyst. I look for terrorists."

I cracked up. "Good. I should be a perfect example then!"

He blinked confusedly. "But you're not qualified as a threat to the United States."

"Who said I'd be threatening America?" I grinned. "No, no, I'm going to be your own _personal_ terrorist."

He jested. "I suppose I should feel special then if you don't normally abuse people."

Mom laughed sarcastically. "Oh no dear, she traumatizes everyone."

He glanced up at her. "How did you manage to raise such a creature?"

"Without anyone's help," I snapped.

He glared at me. "And she seems like she needs it."

"I think I can handle my own daughter, thank you," she said, lightly smacking him on the head and she turned to me. "Serena, show some respect though. He is offering you to go to a beautiful private school nearby."

"You say that because you don't like me being in Japan. However, that _would_ give me more precious time with him," I smiled maliciously at him.

"You don't scare me child," he laughed. "I work with much worse."

My face darkened. "Oh, this is just the beginning, Mr. Tampon."

That earned me a firm smack on the head, but it was true. His ridiculous choice in clothing made it hard for me to take him seriously. He was wearing a white shirt that had a red swirly pattern going down the middle where the buttons were and black slacks, and for some reason I had oddly envisioned him as a tampon with blood going down the middle--yes I know I have a disturbing imagination. It can't be helped!

He had no hair and the coldest black eyes I'd ever seen. The vibes I was getting from him didn't exactly soothe me either.

"Apologize," Mom ordered. "You know better than to insult adults."

"Oh please, he brought it upon himself," I sneered.

"I take it that you don't want to go to this school?" he questioned me as he stared at the brochure of the school in front of him. "I don't see why. I've heard it's a brand new school with-"

"What you hear is different from what actually goes on, so no, I don't want to attend this private school. I've already adjusted to the school I'm attending now," I interrupted.

"Young lady, you need to learn how to respect your elders. You can't just interru-"

"My respect is earned, not given gramps."

Mr. Tampon and I shot each other death glares.

"Well," Mom sighed. "Now that we're all getting along, how about tea? Anyone want cookies?"

Tea? Cookies? What kind of crack did this guy have Mom on? She was never into that crap before I left. Ugh! I'm gone for a semester and she gets herself into this mess!

"No, I gotta go," I said, standing.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "You just got back and you already want to leave me?"

The question tugged the corners of my heart and I slowly turned to face her. She may act like she's annoyed to have me around, but the concerned and slightly frightened to be left alone again look I was receiving convinced me that she had indeed missed me.

I gave her a real smile and a wink. "Mom, I'm gonna visit an old buddy."

"If you mean Erica, then I suggest you to bring some protective pads. You know how rough she is."

I shrugged it off. "Ah, she's my kind of crowd."

I was putting on my shoes when I heard him whisper to her that she shouldn't let me leave. I rolled my eyes.

"Look Mr. Tampon, she's not five," I cornered him in the kitchen. "She can make her decisions and she knows me better than you do. So instead of suggesting that I shouldn't leave, which doesn't make sense because it would be in your best interest that I leave, keep your mouth shut."

His eyes widened in shock and he was about to open his mouth to retort but I cut him off again.

"By the way, if you want to stick around I'd suggest you increase your car insurance," I winked at him, "Accidents are bound to happen."

He closed his mouth, shooting a pleading look to my mother as if he needed to be saved but she chose to ignore it.

"Be back before dinner," she said, adding, "by the way, I've seen that you've lost weight. How come? What have you been doing?"

I stopped in my tracks with my hand on the door handle, thinking that I had better let that slide instead of getting upset over it. "Nothing. Just eating the right foods."

Yep. Props to Kiren, my new diet.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

I stood in front of a red brick jewelry store meant for ear and belly button piercing, and if I remember right, people got their tattoos done here too. The small store's violet colored name _Cristella_ hung over the unstained, wide window and for the first time in my memory it wasn't crooked. The door had an OPEN sign dangling from the handle and I entered the store. I scanned the area in search of any of its employees and grinned when I saw her. One of my favorite things about Erica is that I could spot her in a crowd within seconds. Erica held her head high even when people who hated her surrounded her and owned the floor when she walked with her confident stride.

I rubbed and scrunched my nose. I never did get used to the inky smell of the place.

"Yo! Long time no see," I smirked as I saw her familiar face scowl at me. "And I bet you still hate me for nearly killing your dog the last time I was here."

"You ran over her," she reminded me harshly as she took a washcloth and wiped down the counter. "The only species I tolerate and you _run over_ it."

"I didn't see her and it was my first time driving, can you cut me some slack?" I rolled my eyes. "How is the old bugger anyway?"

"_Alive_," she answered. "So stay away from my house."

"I'm not planning on coming by any time soon," I said, now studying her hair. "I could have sworn your hair was purple the last time I was here."

"It was and now it's not, Captain Obvious."

Her short blue hair was cut in a way that it stuck out in all directions and it had streaks of green blended in.

"It makes your eyes look blue."

"They are blue you idiot."

Erica's eyes were the kind of blue that I didn't like. They were cold and piercing when she was upset, like she was looking right through me and could see through my bullshit. It made me miss Mr. Bunny's eyes and the way they swayed to life.

"I hear your Mom's got a new toy," she stated flatly, "Fancy that. Didn't you torment the last guy she tried to date?"

"Yep," I replied curtly, leaning on the same counter.

"What exactly did you do? I don't remember," she questioned thoughtfully, fiddling with her fingers on the counter.

I giggled madly. "I chased him down with his own car."

She shook her head once more. "Nice. I imagine that you actually _aimed_ to run him over this time. So any injuries?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I decided to be somewhat humane."

"You're nicer than I am."

"Don't I know it."

"So how's Japan? Any weirdos?"

I could tell that she really wanted me to leave since I have always made her feel uncomfortable while she was working, but she didn't know how to get rid of me without involving blood. So I amused myself, lingering around the earrings and necklaces.

"Are you kidding? The school has a whole flock of them," I yawned, finally answering her and stretched. "Sorry, still suffering jet lag."

"Then you should go home and get some sleep. I hear sleep works," she snorted, but she became curious as I knew she would. Erica always did want to travel.

"What kind of weirdos?"

"The kind that rapes."

Erica rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "Very poor choice of words, Serena. Be more specific."

"The women are all boy crazy and there's the Night Class students. They attend classes during the night and sleep through the day."

"Boy crazy women, hmm…we have those here. Night classes, we have those here too. Nothing strange," she answered, losing interest and returned to her work at the cashier.

"Yea, but they go _all_ night. I mean they're even there at five in the morning," I told her, getting close enough so I could count the brown small freckles on her face.

"Maybe they're vampires," she said offhandedly.

"Yes, and then maybe some of the teachers are werewolves that eat pixies at night," I derisively responded.

"Now that would be interesting," she grinned but I rolled my eyes.

"Still a fan of fantasy I see."

"And you're still as sarcastic and practical," she replied. "_Boring_."

"Says you. People think I'm interesting over there," I smirked.

"That's because they're sheltered from the real insanity that breeds here," she mumbled as she began calculating the left over money.

"What are you trying to say? That I'm normal?"

"Oh hell no. You're nut case, but at least you haven't tried killing anyone, drinking or taking drugs." She paused. "Scratch that. I think you might have tried killing someone."

I laughed. "I'm not that cruel."

"You're already giving that old man a hard time, aren't you?" She shook her head when she saw my oh-so-guilty grin. "You're a monster."

"Oh? And what about yourself? Has Erica been tamed while I was gone?" I taunted her and it struck a cord.

"Yea right, as if anyone could," she sneered. "So what's this old man like? Anything I can help with?"

Now _there's_ the real Erica.

"Nah, I got this one covered. He's some government analyst."

She made a face. "Be careful with this one then. He might have some of his own tricks."

"Mr. Tampon? Give me a break," I snorted. "He's no better than Mr. Bunny."

"There you go again with those bizarre nicknames," she sighed.

I blinked, actually examining her this time and realized that she wasn't being her normal kill first and ask questions later persona. In fact, in the past she had always thrown something at my head when she saw me. Always. It didn't matter what day of the year it was. She also would have mentioned what kind of weapon she was wearing the moment I dodged the said thrown object and threatened my life with it. If I had gotten passed all that, then she would have jumped on me personally.

It was tradition, really. People had always believed we were archenemies because they often found us on the floor, physically tearing each other apart. What they couldn't understand is that we were friends because we were each other's punching bag. Rather attempting to bash our parents' heads in, we took it on each other. We understood pain and we could take it. As long as it was from each other.

However, Erica, hands down, is stronger than me. So it was usually me going back home with bruises and broken bones. I can only count on one hand how many times I've won our physical fights. Verbally though, I was number one. I knew how to push her buttons, which led to those physical fights.

"Something happened while I was gone 'cause you're acting weird. Did the divorce finalize or something?" I inquired.

"Oh no, they're still duking it out," she scoffed.

"Then what happened?" I asked curiously.

Erica sighed again. "If Dad wins, then I have to move to Germany because that's where his job is taking him. If Mom wins, then I'd be moving to Kansas so we could live near family. Either way, I won't be able to stay here."

"I thought you were old enough to decide who you could live with?"

"I am and I can, but neither of the two will be living in our house once the divorce is finalized." She rolled her eyes in a tiredly way, as if the war between her parents was finally wearing her down.

My anger was triggered by Daddy's little vanishing act and Mommy's nitpicking ways.

Erica's anger was triggered by her parents' separation.

I was the only one who knew that Erica, while she acted indifferent about the divorce in front of her parents, felt hurt by her parents' actions and words. She hated it when she had to play referee, like she was standing in the middle of a football field to tell the players to cool off, and she hated it when they tried to use her in their battles. She loved her parents equally but they were both manipulative, sneaky beasts.

They never asked her directly of how she felt about the other parent. No. They trick her into it by asking where would she rather live. If she chose to live in Germany, it automatically meant she loved her father more. If she chose Kansas, it automatically meant that she loved her mother more.

It becomes extremely tedious, especially when she feels like she's the rope that they're tugging back and forth on.

"So you looking forward to Germany?" I didn't ask this because I thought she would choose to live with her father. I asked because I knew her love of travel.

She bit her bottom lip, her eyes showing that she was half nervous and half excited. "I don't know. I've never lived in a different country before."

"It's not as bad as it seems, trust me," I smiled. "You get to meet cool people too. Not just the weirdos."

She narrowed her blue eyes at me. "Yea? You just told me that they were all boy crazy in Japan. So name one."

"Kiren Darako. She tutored me and she's also my roommate. The girl can read my mind sometimes, I swear. She's the sweetest person I've ever met…sometimes I feel like I shouldn't be friends with her," I sighed.

"You feel like you're corrupting her?" Erica smirked.

"Yep."

"How hard was it to learn the language?"

"It took me a while but with everyone speaking it in class, I caught on really quick."

I heard a racket in the back where they normally stocked their belongings and the jewelry and we both looked up. Anthony Skylar, Erica's chubby older brother, walked in humming to himself until he glanced to see whom his sister was talking to and leaped behind the counter.

"I thought you said the demon was gone!" he shrieked, frightened. His blue eyes were much more expressive than his sister's. "Why did you lie to me?"

Okay, I'll confess, I was his bully in the past.

Erica shot him an indifferent look and shrugged. "Wanted to see you jump... and you didn't disappoint."

"Ah! My dear Hamster, how are you?" I asked in my friendliest tone yet he didn't move from his location.

"Fi…F…Fine."

Needless to say I have spent my last two years trying to repent for everything that I had done, but Anthony never forgets and he never forgives either.

"So…did you redo your hair? Last time I was here your natural hair color was starting to show," I smiled kindly, remembering the dark brown roots of his hair.

"Uh…uh huh." He was still staring at me with wide, frightened eyes.

It kinda bugged me that I stirred that much 'terror' in a guy. However, he was my first victim when I discovered Dad was gone so I had been my worst with him.

"Anthony, I need you to do me a favor and take these to the back," Erica handed him her jacket and her black book bag and he took them from her, walking backwards so he could keep his eyes on me and once he got to the door, he sprinted.

"Still have that fantastic affect on him," she chuckled.

I held up one hand. "I've tried."

"I don't think he's forgiven you for shaving his hair that one day when you slept over," she smirked. "Or the time you stole his icecream or the time you killed his pet frog or..."

"I get the picture Erica."

"He acts more like an elephant than a hamster," she shot me a look. "Remembers everything."

"Well in the past he reminded me of a hamster with those plump cheeks," I muttered, drumming my fingers on the counter, remembering what he looked like when he was a child.

He had dark brown short hair and sparkling, naive blue eyes. His freckles always stood out more when he cried. I remember when I found him on the porch, holding his pet frog (now dead...so sorry..), whimpering. Erica had stormed out of the house moments later, tears coming down her face and when I asked her what was wrong she smacked me really hard on my right cheek.

Yep. I think that's where it all started.

With Erica I could be as rough and vicious as I want, but I should have been gentle with her brother. He didn't have the fighting spirit she had, and my words probably stung him like Mom's words made me bleed. Yet it never registered in my head that sensitive boys actually existed.

"I do hope you mean his face rather than his rear," Erica's voice brought me back to the present.

"Like I'd check out his ass." I playfully punched her on her right shoulder, backing away immediately when I felt as though she would hit me back.

"Well, you better get going. I do have to work you know," she told me. "And you still have an old man to get rid of."

"Kicking me out already?" I smirked. "Well, that's a new record. I've managed to be in your presence for twenty minutes without getting my ass kicked."

She winked at me. "That's because I'm working. Just wait till I see you in the streets."

I waved at her once I reached the exit. "See you sometime later."

She waved back, smiling a little bit. "Yup, take it easy."

VVVVVVVVVVVVV

"You got a phone call while you were away, Serena," Mom's voice greeted me when I kicked off my shoes.

"Oh yea? Who?" I questioned, carelessly throwing myself onto the blue couch with ease. Thinking it was nobody important, I turned on the television on full volume, forcing Mom to raise her voice. I did that purposely so she would have to come downstairs to talk to me.

"I don't know! I couldn't understand her accent but she said she went to school with you!" she shouted and I could already hear the annoyance in her voice.

"Did you catch her name?" I asked, now having the television on mute.

"Key Ren Darako?" she said questioningly.

I chuckled, remembering how I first said her name and it was the exact same way. "What'd you tell her?"

"You'd be back tomorrow. Considering the fact that I figured Erica would knock you unconscious," she answered, coming down the stairs finally. "And Adam is staying over the night so behave."

I flashed her an innocent grin. "Aww, Mom, you're taking the fun out of sleepovers."

"I'm not entirely positive you want to push his buttons, Serena," she frowned, hovering above me.

I shrugged. "We'll see."

She sighed exhaustedly. "Only here for three days and you're already a menace."

"Mom I went to Japan, not to some therapy group session. It's not like I'm going to change my personality."

She looked at me thoughtfully. "Yes, well, for my sake, please don't."

I stared at her, examining her features. She had curled her hair today so it looked wavy and her sharp gray eyes almost seemed like they were pleading. What I love about Mom's eyes, though I would never admit it to her, is that when she's really happy they look like they're glowing silver. If anyone has ever seen a silver firework going off at night, then they would know what I was talking about.

_Sometimes, I really do wish I had her eyes._

"You actually like this guy, don't you?" I frowned. "Like really _like_ him."

"I do, yes."

"Then this will be fun."

"Serena, I mean it, be nice to him," she warned me. "Or I'll pull you out of that Academy."

"For crying out loud Mom, don't threaten me." I turned on her. "I'm not afraid of you or him, and you know that. As for that Academy, whoopee-do. More time for me to have fun with him. "

Mom shot me one more glare. "You'll regret it, Serena."

"Right, right, night Mom," I humored her as I shut off the television and headed up to my room.

She let out a long sigh and went to her room, where I had no doubts Mr. Tampon was waiting for her. I changed into my night attire and ignored the whisperings coming from the other room, but frowned at the same time. As I figured, Mom still had a lot to learn about her daughter. I didn't torture her potential suitors just because I thought it was fun. I didn't threaten them to watch their backs because I thought it would make my life more interesting.

Nope.

I did it for her.

After she had slapped me that one day and we had apologized to each other and I had promised not to leave her, I made a silent vow. I realized that day that Mom had probably gone through enough heartache—with me being a troll and Dad's sudden disappearance- and didn't need someone else to step in her life who would only disappoint her. I took it as my responsibility to test her suitors and see their strengths and weaknesses.

I wasn't going to let anyone hurt her again.

I'm not a five year old anymore. I can't just pretend everything will be all right the next day when someone hurts her. I can't just lie there while she cries into my hair or pillow anymore.

I decided that I was going to be her shield. I was her knight on a white horse. Her Prince Charming was actually the bloody haired Queen in disguise. Was it often that a mother's protector was her daughter and not her husband? Probably not.

_Mr. Tampon has no idea of what I have in store for him._

To my surprise, the phone rang and I scrambled out of my bed before Mom could reach the phone.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

I heard sobbing on the other side and felt myself stiffen.

"Hello?" I repeated more urgently.

"Se..Sere...Serena-chan?" I heard the female voice whimper and then she hung up.

I sat straight up in my bed, feeling somewhat panicked and after a few seconds I tried to call the number back but got a busy line.

The girl on the phone had been crying... and she was afraid.

And it was Kiren.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay, so everyone pay attention to all of the 'minor' characters I just introduced because they have roles. If not major, then it's a twisted one.

As for the bickering between Mr. Tampon and Serena... -laughs sheepishly- that was my first reaction to my now stepfather. Yes, I was...a bit more bitchy back in the day. We're cool now...but I put him through...a lot...

I thank everyone who responded to my question..it was most helpful! And well, ahaha, as if blowfish wasn't obvious enough right? -sweat drop-

My updates are going to be coming slower now. Just thought I'd give you all a heads up.

Soo...after one more chapter...the real drama begins :D. Enjoy


	9. Death Penalty

Chapter Nine: Death Penalty

The air around me was cold and thin, and the dirt beneath me was just as cold, gooey and reeked of fresh blood. I knew I was in a five-foot deep hole, seeing a bright white circle above me. I was having a difficult time breathing due to someone's freezing hand covering my mouth. They were trying to suffocate me while their free hand wildly roamed my body. So far every time I tried to break free of them, I was hit in the head with something heavy and blunt.

A hammer maybe.

I coughed, feeling my lungs tighten, tasting their blood spilling into my mouth from where I bit their hand and the blood bubbled in my throat. In a desperate attempt to escape for the millionth time, I head butted my attacker and heard them yelp, falling backward. I took advantage of their sudden pain, managing to lift my knee and drove it into their stomach as hard as I could.

They let go of my mouth, inhaled brusquely and fell to my left side. I used whatever strength I had left in me to force myself back onto my feet and once the adrenaline began to pump, I used my hands to dig into the earth so I could climb out of the hole that they had thrown me into. However, before I could reach the top of the grave, the scenery changed and I was now standing on a deck next to mucky brown water. Water? Was this a lake?

The air was fresher and warmer, whizzing around me and my lungs welcomed it. Breathing in and out, still feeling like an animal being hunted down, I felt the world around me spin as my eyes searched for my attacker. The lake, the woods, and the sky began to blend together like a watercolor painting.

"Humans…are easy prey." A cold, raspy voice purred in my ear, and an involuntarily shiver rushed down my spine, causing my whole body to jerk and my eyes alarmingly shifted to find the culprit.

"Is it sinful…to kill those who kill?" The voice asked curiously and it began cackling uncontrollably, hitting high pitches. The leaves on the trees abruptly morphed into thousands of scarecrow and they were flying towards me, crowing and cawing. I could even hear the flutter of their wings as they flew nearer.

"SERENA!"

Erica's frustrated, booming voice echoed in my ears.

"Wha-?" I jumped at first and then lifted my head off the cool, black counter that I had fallen asleep on and stupidly slipped off the stool with a _thud_. I blinked, feeling the instant pain on my hip and rubbed it before wiping the sleep out of my eyes and blinked again. "What?"

Erica scowled, her arms now over her chest. "You know better to sleep while you're working."

"Sorry," I mumbled, fully aware that I was lucky she didn't just stick a needle in me to wake me up.

_That was the most disturbing dream I've ever had._

Yawning, I straightened myself out, smoothing out the wrinkles on my shirt and I rubbed my face again to make sure I was completely awake. I returned to my former post at the tattoos, waiting for the artist to show up.

For the past two weeks I had tried to get a hold of Kiren but no such luck. At first it amused me because with all the contacts she gave me, not one was responding but now it was bugging me. I peeked at my navy blue cell phone, frowning after not seeing any missed calls or text messages. I decided after my last call that I wouldn't leave another voice message because there is a fine line between concern and harassment. I'm pretty sure I was walking that fine line.

"Sorry I'm late," someone muttered behind me. I spun on my heels quickly to see a tall, brooding male with jet-black short hair that spiked up. He walked passed me to get to his working area and I narrowed my eyes to study him.

He fit the bill well enough for a tattoo artist. He had a red serpent tattoo on his right ankle that went up to his calf, a black crouching panther on his left forearm and I could only see the start of another tattoo on his collarbone. His ears didn't have any more room for another piercing and his nose was pierced too, reminding me of a bull. He had a bored, thoughtless expression on his face and his book bag hung over his shoulder carelessly.

"You're twenty minutes late," I said dully, "but I honestly don't care. It's _her_ that you have to worry about."

He shrugged indifferently, not opening his eyes as he dumped all his stuff onto the desk. "She ain't much."

"Jade Splinter," Erica snarled furiously once she caught the sight of her co-worker, her hands on her hips and her nostrils flared. She stood right behind me, causing the hair on my neck to rise, and my survival instinct told me to run. "You're-"

"Twenty minutes late, yea, she already told me," he said, tilting his head to me as a gesture as he unpacked his tools. "Now if you ladies don't mind."

He closed the faded black curtain on her and Erica, as I watched, turned purple in the face. I took that as my hint to scram before the lovers dragged me into their warfare. I went back to the cashier and while I was mentally absent, I silently cleaned the counter until I heard the door jingle. I had added a bell at the top of the door three days ago so it would announce when a customer had entered, but I looked up only to see Anthony carrying two plastic bags filled with food.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked, attempting to converse with him but he avoided my eyes and stared directly at the black carpet floor.

"ANTHONY!" Erica's voice bellowed and it made him flinch. I ducked the moment I saw the flying red pen, hearing it hit the wall.

"Why are you late?" she hissed at her brother, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. Her livid face had him frozen on the spot and his eyes nearly popped out of his head as he tried to find his voice.

I rolled my eyes, exhaling loudly. "Give him a break, Erica. Can you not see that he brought you food?"

He actually glanced at me—only for a second! And then nodded vigorously as if it would calm her. "Mom said-"

"Oh never mind!" She shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air as if she had surrendered and stormed into the storage room.

Anthony followed her a few moments later, at first not sure if he wanted to invade her space but he was certain that he didn't want to be around me. I chuckled to myself, shaking my head slowly and I wondered what the hell had possessed me when I agreed to take the job…oh right, 'cause I need money. I was helping Mom pay for my stay at the Cross Academy even though the headmaster had given me enough financial aid.

I heard more bickering in the back and sighed, returning to my cleaning duties.

* * *

"Any phone calls today?" I asked her when she finally resurfaced from under the sink, which astonished me to no end. In the past she had always told me that it was a man's job to fix the appliances in the house and she hired men to do it too. Yet there she was, under the sink and messing with the pipes.

_And was she wearing overalls?_

"You know Mom, you're supposed to let Mr. Tampon do that. I mean what use is he if you don't let him do his job?" I teased her, knowing it would provoke her and sure enough, Mom shot me an irritated glare as she wiped her hands on a rag.

"Stop calling him that. You're almost an adult and you still act ten."

"I'm sixteen going on seventeen—not forty like you."

"I don't think mature sixteen year olds give people insults as nicknames."

"Who ever said I was mature?" I smirked playfully but she continued to scowl. I swear I'm the only person in the house with a sense of humor—even if it is immature.

"So did anyone call?" I repeated my question, dropping my bag on the floor and opened up the cabinets. Food was the second thing on my mind. Kiren was obviously first.

She rolled her eyes and stood up, heading for the refrigerator. "No, sorry, your secretary took her day off today. Why do you keep asking?"

" 'Cause one of my buddies hasn't called me back yet," I said, attempting to sound calm when really I was anxious. Kiren wasn't the type to call someone crying and not inform them why unless she was prevented. Something was wrong and I could feel it.

"Well, they have a life. They're probably busy."

"I most certainly hope so," I mumbled, finding nothing that suited my tastes in the cabinets and closed them.

"Adam is taking us out to eat dinner so don't eat anything," she told me, finishing her drink of water by gulping it down and returned to her former position under the sink. I watched her curiously, thinking that she was probably fixing the sink to show off to Mr. Tampon.

_Maybe she isn't my mother. Maybe she's an evil long lost twin who killed my real mother and now she's posing to be my mother._

"Hey Mom," I said tentatively as to not provoke the evil impostor.

"What?" she asked without looking.

"What's my favorite planet and why?"

"Mars because of the color and because in mythology he was the God of War," she answered casually, still focused on the pipe above her and paused momentarily in her work to ask, "why?"

I shrugged my shoulders even though I knew she couldn't see me.

"Just curious."

* * *

I tried to fix all of my attention on the Thank God It's Friday's menu in my hands, but my hands were gripping the menu so tightly that my knuckles had turned white and my glare was about to burn a hole right through the menu. I bit my bottom lip to keep my mouth from shooting out insults, tasting a little bit of blood.

My so-called Mom and her new toy were sitting in front of me, kissing and making the nastiest slurping sound I've ever heard in my life. My stomach lurched again and I cleared my throat for the fourth time only to be ignored, which caused me to slam my menu onto the table and the table to shake violently. My sudden movement made the waitress jump, dropping her notepad onto the floor and she swiftly fell to her knees to retrieve it and sighed loudly in embarrassment as she stood up. She cleared her throat, stared directly at me as if she, too, was trying to ignore the couple at the table.

She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and forced herself to smile pleasantly. "Can I take your orders?"

I smiled a fake smile and leaned closer to her. "Yea, could you bring me a long knife? A butcher knife would be fine. I incidentally forgot mine at home. Now I don't have anything to cut their tongues with."

The love couple immediately separated from each other as the waitress visibly paled and nervously clutched her notepad.

"She's just kidding," Mom told her while she glared wrathfully at me, "She has a wicked sense of humor."

Now that Mom's attention was fully on me, I calmly ordered food with a sincere smile so I wouldn't alarm the girl.

"Umm…I'll see what I can do," the waitress said to me, "…and for…?"

Mr. Tampon cleared his throat and rubbed his lips. I was right—he had been making out with Mom to get on my nerves. So as he ordered for himself and for Mom, I secretly toyed with the fork underneath the table, realizing earlier that his knee was close to my leg.

Close enough for me to fork him.

Mom shifted in her seat, her right leg was on top of his lap and I noticed the blush on her cheeks. "So how was work today, Sere?"

I shot a cholericly glare at her. "Oh just splendid dear, now if you could just stop vacuuming his mouth, dinner would be great too."

The lust spell in her eyes immediately drowned in outrage, her lips tightened into a thin line but she kept quiet. Mr. Tampon smiled gently to himself, knowing he had succeeded in pissing me off and tilted back into his chair. We sat in uncomfortable silence until the food arrived and then it was only the sound of the utensils clanking that kept the silence from coming back. I clicked my tongue impatiently, waiting for them to hurry up and finish rather than waste my time by feeding each other. She was even making that ridiculous train sound young mothers made to their infants and it was making me feel sick.

After twenty more agonizing minutes, the dinner was over and Mr. Tampon took us home. The drive home was quiet and unsettling—I caught their hands intertwined and they often exchanged glances. It made me want to barf. As soon as they entered the house, they headed straight to bed though I was positive they weren't going to be sleeping.

And yet, for someone who was supposedly intelligent, Mr. Tampon made a very fatal stupid mistake.

He had left his wallet and his car keys on the kitchen table. I grinned, feeling my evil side take over and I ignored their whisperings as I called Erica.

"Hey Miss Scorpion," I greeted casually into my cell, pocketing his wallet and twirled the key chain that held his car keys.

Erica groaned tiredly and her tone hinted that she didn't want to be bothered. "I thought you said you only gave people you hated nicknames."

"There was a time before we became friends that I hated you," I said, "Not the point though. I need your help and Mom can't know that you helped me, which is why I used your nickname."

"Assuming that I'd help you of course," she sneered and this time I heard the bickering of her parents in the background. No wonder she was cranky.

"It's got something to do with You-Know-Who."

"Mr. Tampon?" she perked up.

I felt my grin widen as she took the bait. "Yep."

The tone in her voice immediately changed, sounding a lot more cheerful and mischievous.

"What do you need?"

* * *

"Serena," Mom said my name reproachfully as she searched through the cabinets of the kitchen, "have you seen Adam's wallet or car keys?"

I could already hear the accusation in her voice and I gave her an apathetic frown. It was useless to try to seem innocent since she had a habit of instantly knowing that I was guilty. Guess I just have that kind of face.

"Sorry, not his keeper," I replied curtly, tying my shoestrings and I stood up. "Why don't you ask him?"

"He says he can't find them," she sighed, putting her hands on her hips in a thoughtful way and her eyes inspected me. "If you see them let us know, okay?"

I shrugged impassively, "Obviously."

As I walked out of the house I could hear her rummaging through the house in search of the lost objects and I couldn't help but grin. The walk to work was a peaceful one. It was nine in the morning so most people were already at work or sleeping. The air was light and breezy since the sun still hadn't heated up the earth, and the clouds looked like white puffy sheep.

Once I entered the store, the bell chiming as I went, Erica turned to face me and flashed me a lighthearted grin.

"They suspicious yet?"

"Nope," I grinned back.

"How long do you think it will take them?"

"They'll probably realize it was me when I get back home."

"Think they'll find the stuff before they know it was you?"

I shrugged and looked around. "Where's your boy? Late again?"

Erica's face instantly fell and became annoyed. "He's not my boy. He's a close friend, but that's it."

"Right," I said offhandedly, "he late?"

"Shouldn't be," she answered with a sigh as she glanced at the white, Chinese cat clock on the wall, "I messed with his alarm clock yesterday and set it back for a couple of hours. He should be here early."

As if on cue, the bell chimed and there stood Jade Splinter, a harassed expression clearly written on his face as if it went against God's law to toy with his belongings.

"Ah huh," I uttered, looking back and forth between the two cautiously. "I think I'll take my leave."

I suppressed my giggle, knowing it would trigger an argument, and sped behind the counter to get ready for the day. I watched the two 'friends' go to the storage room and heard the door slam shut, and the shouting that came afterward. I was beginning to understand how Erica felt when she was stuck in between her parents while they argued. Hearing Jade and her fight reminded me of her parents.

I sighed, wondering if children suffered the fate of repeating their parents' mistakes.

The bell rang for the third time and a man with wild black hair entered, his one blue eye staring directly at me. I shifted my weight to my other leg, feeling slightly uneasy with him staring at me and mustered enough nerve to stare back at him.

"Can I help you sir?" I asked, letting my eyes linger on him and took in his foreign appearance. The eye patch on his right eye compelled me to gaze at it in wonder.

"No. Just taking a look," he replied. His voice had a familiar accent and he kept his penetrating gaze on me. My stomach knotted, realizing he didn't mean he was here to look around the store, but to look at me.

"You're not from here," I stated, feeling unfriendly and fretful.

A small smile played on his chapped lips, "The accent is a dead give away."

"Where are you from?" My nose scrunched up, catching the scent of cigarette smoke and backed away from the counter since he was too close to me. The distance gave me fresher air.

"Japan," he answered with an affable smile, adjusting his eye patch without letting me see what was behind it. Not that I wanted to see anything. His reply struck a cord in me. Now he's definitely on my creep list. I mean this isn't coincidence. How often did I run into someone from Japan? Not often! I folded my arms over my chest defensively and was just about to tell him to leave when-

"Really? She just came back from there." Jade joined us and I scowled at him for giving the stranger that piece of information.

"Oh?" The visible blue eye widened in interest.

"Yep," Jade replied, grabbing his headphones so he could tune out Erica, "...some expensive, private academy."

"Oh?" the man repeated and I glared at the two of them.

"Right, so are you done looking?" I ominously narrowed my eyes at the man, whose smile only got bigger and his eye held mirth.

He took the hint.

"Yes, I'm done, thank you," his eye lingered on me, "For your time."

"No problem," I grunted.

Jade glanced back and forth between us, looking like he missed on out something important. When the man left, the bell ringing as he went, Jade gently nudged me on the shoulder with his elbow.

"Dude, was he bugging you?"

"Kind of," I grumbled under my breath and busied myself.

Jade's dark brown eyes stared at the door and he frowned. "My bad for talking too much…but…if he comes back let me know."

Before I could tell him to back off and that I could take care of myself, he disappeared into his 'tattoo office'.

* * *

I sighed again; already tired of working and glad the day was over. I fished out my house keys, walking on autopilot on the familiar path back to home, and my thoughts traveled back to the Japanese stranger. I took a shortcut through the Lake Wood Parks; a playground consisting of four swings, monkey bars, and two yellow slides. I pulled out my cell and it read nine P.M. Sighing, I shoved my cell back into my pocket.

Mom was going to give me hell for working so many hours, but I rather be at work than with the lovebirds. Unexpectedly, my cell began to ring and I extracted it from my pocket. I glanced down into the screen and realized it was an unknown number.

_Kiren?_

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Serena-chan?" Kiren greeted back tentatively, barely whispering.

"KIREN! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET A HOLD OF YOU SINCE FOREVER!" I bellowed into the phone and the cell's battery abruptly died, sending me into a shouting frenzy.

"OF ALL THE EFFIN' TIMES TO DIE AND YOU DIE _NOW_? YOU _HAVE_ GOT TO BE FRIGGIN' **KIDDING** ME!"

I growled at it furiously, the heat rising to my cheeks and I thought I heard a teapot whistling inside my head.

How _**typical**_! I swear someone, whether it be fate or destiny or whatever the likes, enjoys pissing me off.

I suddenly felt a cold draft shoot down my spine and the hair on my neck rose. Instinct, or whatever it was, was warning me. Someone had been following me.

Before I could turn around or look over my shoulder to see if I was actually being followed, someone with strong hands grabbed me by the shoulders and brutally threw me against the ground. I shrieked in both surprise and panic, and gaped into the hideous red irises of the bearded man on top of me. I slapped him with my left hand, which made me feel really stupid, and seconds later I slammed my right fist into his cheek, catching him off guard. He reeled back, howled in pain and my eyes widened in horror as I saw his mouth begin to foam. His red eyes cruelly narrowed at me and he snarled, flashing me his fangs-

_Hold on a damn, disturbing second. THOSE WERE FANGS! AND HE HAS RED EYES! RED! RED EYES! HOLY SHIT!_

He managed to pin down my arms above me using only one of his hands despite my struggling and the other hand forcibly tilted my head. The scream I made when he bit into the arc of my neck ripped my throat and for a moment I believed I damaged my vocal cords. I grunted, shrieked, kicked and when I got my right hand free, I began beating his back.

None of that stopped him.

And FUCK he's HEAVY! And his fucking FANGS hurt like shit!

_Is it sinful to kill someone who kills?_

The question randomly popped into my head but I recognized the masculine, insane voice from my dream. I shivered feverishly, hearing the sickening slurping sound and I winced when I felt the fangs digging deeper. I grunted, beginning to feel tremendously drowsy and I had to fight the urge to close my eyes, afraid that if I did close them I would die.

That's when I heard an earsplitting bang and saw, in relief and dread, the Japanese man holding a gun in his left hand. The man on top of me slid to my side, his red eyes turning hazel and the life in them vanished.

I couldn't move, frozen with shock and yet trembling.

"Sorry I didn't get to you sooner," the Japanese man grunted, a cigar in his mouth and he shoved the gun into his trench coat.

I coughed, flinching in pain because of the throbbing on my neck and didn't dare to try to stand. I knew I would have fallen anyway.

"Relax, I'm not here to harm you," he tried to reassure me, now kneeling beside me.

I took in a deep breath, backing up to get away from him and I bumped into the yellow slide. Sure, he might have just saved my ass but I didn't know him and I couldn't trust him.

"Okay, look, you're going to black out soon. So I'll tell you something before you pass out. My name is Touga Yagari. Or Yagari Touga, whichever way you see it," he introduced himself calmly, adding, "and I am NOT your enemy."

I nodded my head, hearing something loudly buzzing in my ears and my head began to feel heavy.

True to his word, I did black out.

* * *

I was in the grave again. I could smell the earth, taste it in my mouth and my fingers grasped the ground. I sat up, taking in my surroundings and concluded it was the same dream. Or at least, it was the same location. I looked up, finding the opening and became instantly shocked to see Mr. Bunny standing on the edge of my grave, and though I could see clearly it was him, his face was distorted.

His oceanic eyes seemed, for the lack of a better way of phrasing it, like he was on crack. They were huge, dilated and unstable. He had a Cheshire cat grin on his face and was laughing hysterically. Though his voice sounded different. In fact, it wasn't his voice at all! He dropped to his knees next to my grave and leered at me. It was the first time I saw him with fangs and I shivered, my hand involuntarily moved to my neck and I felt two punctured holes there.

OH GOD! I'M GOING TO BECOME A WEREWOLF!

"Serena!" He shouted, disrupting my thoughts on becoming a canine creature and I noticed he was still grinning like a maniac, waving a shovel in his hand. "Is it sinful to kill someone who kills?"

I groaned, tilting my head backwards.

Not that question again.

The scenery melted into darkness and when I opened my eyes again I found myself staring into two enormous red eyes with no body. I felt my body stiffen in panic.

"Is it?" the creepy voice inquired.

I gulped, hitting my back against a muddy wall.

_Was it sinful to kill someone who kills?_

I didn't know the answer.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

That took longer than you think to write! I kept changing my mind!

Sadly, I will be taking more time to write because in the span of ten months I've had four family deaths, and I wanted to update this before I disappear for a while. Honestly I feel like Death is targeting my family.

So...hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	10. Phobia

Chapter ten: Phobia

I woke up to find Mom's head on my lap, her body jerking violently with sobs and Mr. Tampon was sitting in a chair that he probably stole from the kitchen with a blank expression until he caught me staring at him.

"You're awake," he announced softly and Mom's head immediately shot up from my lap, and she released a squeal of relief as she pulled me into one of her bear hugs.

"Mom…" I gasped for air, cringing in pain. She was squeezing me too tightly. "That hurts…like a lot."

She instantly let go, but her hands grasped mine tightly and I knew this time she wasn't going to let go. "How do you feel? You've been unconscious for two days. A nice man found you and used your cell phone to call us."

My cell phone…? Wasn't it dead? Gawd damn stupid technology! And how did he know who to call?

Oh... right, the Mom typed in my cell phone would have been a great help. Why, oh why, was I an idiot sometimes?

"I'm okay…sore, but okay," I answered bitterly, annoyed with myself and with my stupid cell phone.

"Do you need anything? Anything at all?"

I shielded my eyes from the sunlight that was pouring in from the window and bouncing off the white walls of my room, reflecting into my eyes. "Yea, can you pull down the shades? The sun is bothering me."

She blinked for a second, a worried expression on her face but she got up and did exactly what I asked. "Anything else?"

"A glass…of water…please…" My throat was itchy and tight, and my voice was practically clawing its way out when I spoke.

She hurriedly went downstairs, climbing down two steps at a time. I blinked in surprise.

"I don't think I've ever seen her move so fast," I chuckled to myself. Mr. Tampon cleared his throat.

"What happened?" He bluntly questioned and I shrugged, wincing as I felt the holes in my neck squish together.

_Not my brightest moment._

I didn't dare raise my hand to my neck, where I could tell it was bandaged. "I was obviously attacked."

He scowled darkly at me. "Details, if you will."

I bit my lip thoughtfully, gathering the past images in my head and wondered if it was necessary to tell him what or who attacked me. I didn't quite understand what happened…I mean if I remember correctly, the guy had fangs. What person has fangs?

"I was just jumped by some homeless person," I lied, slowly inventing a cover story in my head. It's not like Mr. Tampon, the oh-so-lovely government analyst, would believe the truth anyway.

"Did you get a good look at him?"

_Are you kidding? Who could forget the stubby beard, the hideous reds eyes—or were they hazel? And the fangs? _

I shuddered. "No. It was too dark out."

He narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "Lie. It's summer. There's still sunlight at nine."

I shrugged, now feeling defensive. "Well, you can try to pester me for details all you want, but I'm telling you I don't know much."

"Ain't that the truth," he grunted.

That earned him a firm whack on the head. Mom had entered the room and upon hearing him, she hit him hard.

"It would behoove you to leave my daughter in peace," she seethed, her nostrils flaring.

Even though she looked like a fire breathing dragon, with her eyes reducing into menacing gray slits and her flaming red hair sticking up in random directions as if she hadn't brushed it for a month, my insides were cheering. After all, she defended me for once.

"But she's lying," he persisted, glaring at her.

"I don't care. Leave my baby _alone_," she growled and when she turned to me her eyes and face softened. "Here you go."

She handed me the full glass of water—I checked to see if it was poisoned, and smiled timidly when I took it from her. Hey if she's acting bi-polar, then there's something obviously wrong with the water.

"Your friend called. The one from Japan," she said as I gradually sat up in my bed and took sips from the glass, grateful for the coolness of the liquid that was easing the pain in my throat.

"Yea? She okay? My phone died when she called," I frowned at the memory. Stupid phone.

Mom sighed hesitantly before continuing, crossing her legs when she sat down on my bed. "She was wondering if you wanted to…to stay with her at her house…a week before school started. She wanted to help you become adjusted with the time difference."

"I hear a but coming."

Her eyes pleaded me. "I don't want you to go to that school."

"Mom, just because I was jumped here in America doesn't mean I'll be jumped there. In fact, weren't you the one that said Japan was safer than the States?" I stated calmly. "And I like the school…odd enough, I know, stop looking at me like that…and I would like to stay there…to continue my studies that is. Not to live!"

She had given me a frown when I said I wanted to stay there.

"I don't like the idea of you being so far away," she pouted.

I caught Mr. Tampon rolling his eyes and I shot him a glare before turning back to her. "Yea, I know, but it's a good school. We even have a Disciplinary Committee that watches the school twenty-four/seven. So it's safe! Probably one of the safest places…"

"But you just came back," she continued to pout, taking my hand again and dragged me into a hug.

I winced at the movement, thinking that Mom has never been this affectionate with me. What caused her to change? The distance? How ironic that we could become closer now I didn't live with her.

"Sorry, did that hurt?" she asked, questioning my wince.

I gave her a smile, deciding to tell her the truth. "A little."

_A little. Just not in a physical sense._

She sulked, giving me more space and sighed. "Well, if you like that school so much…"

"I do."

"Then I'll allow you to go, but you have to promise me that you'll keep safe." She gave me a stern look to which I nodded to.

"Promise."

* * *

It took me _hours_ to convince Mom to allow me to visit Erica without Mr. Tampon escorting me but we made a deal.

I would get the stuff Mr. Tampon 'lost' and be grounded for taking them—meaning I'd be cleaning the house for the remaining days that I was home. I also had to quit my job. Mom didn't approve of the idea of me working when I should be spending my time with her. Personally I think it's because she was afraid that I would be attacked again when walking back home. I don't understand why she wouldn't just let me take the car and let me drive.

That's why I have a driver's license! UGH! Parents…

After handing her the stolen objects that I had buried in our backyard—what? It's not like I would have actually done something extremely horrible to his belongings. After all, it _does_ have his credit cards and personal identification. I would have gotten into a whole bigger mess of trouble if I had, say, thrown it away or gave it to someone homeless, which had been my original idea. Damn. I really should have given it to a homeless guy. I would have made his day and I probably would have had better karma, ya know? Maybe karma wouldn't have allowed that man to attack me if I had given it to a homeless guy.

ANYWAY!

The walk to Erica was…an interesting one. I've never been paranoid before, but the previous attack made me more jumpy than usual and there were times when I thought I heard _things. _I nearly kicked a poor, innocent cat that had jumped from the trashcan to the ground.

I knocked on the forest green wooden door and leaned against it, looking around for any suspicious followers as I waited for Erica to open up. The porch really needed to be redone. Most of the wooden boards were sticking up or out due to the nails falling out or unscrewing themselves, and the color used to be a polished tan. Now it resembled vomit.

"Yo," she greeted me, a bit concerned and grouchy at the same time. "You really shouldn't be walking around by yourself. Not since after that attack, which by the way, why didn't you call me? I could have asked Jade to walk you home."

"Hang on." I held up one finger and dialed Mom's number into my cell. "Mom? Yea. I'm at her house. No I'm not lying…do you want to talk to her? Fine."

I handed Erica the cell phone, disappointed that the woman wouldn't believe me, but then again, I _did _steal Mr. Tampon's stuff. "Talk to her."

Erica smiled and accepted the phone graciously. "Hey Ms. Fontana, she made it safely to my house and I'll make sure she gets home in one piece. No, no, I won't be roughhousing today. Yup. Talk to you later. Bye."

She gave me the phone and gave me a 'one second' glance, disappearing into her house while I continued to talk to Mom.

"Okay, well, be sure not to leave her house alone. And don't forget to call me when you do leave her house," Mom said, sounding fretful. "And don't get into any fights with her. That's the last thing your body needs."

"Right, I'll be home in a few," I replied curtly.

"I love you," she said quietly.

Erica had opened the door again to allow me in but I had paused, one leg in front of the other.

"I…love you too," I said, gently smiling into the phone. "See you later."

I hung up, entered Erica's abnormally quiet house and breathed in the house's scent. It's funny how while you're living in your house you don't detect any smells, but if you leave for a few months and come back you definitely catch your house's scent. My house, in contrast to Erica's cinnamon-smelling house, smelled of herbal spices.

"Where are your parents?" I asked, immediately feeling strange without their constant loud bickering filling the house.

"Both are at work thankfully, and before you ask, Anthony's at a friend's house," she answered. "So it's just the two of us."

I smirked playfully. "And your dog?"

She scowled. "Backyard. You're not going anywhere near her."

"Protective of her, aren't you?" I chortled, looking out from the window into the backyard. Erica's dog, Sunflower, was a white haired poodle with a mean temper and lived up to the word _bitch_. Normally it would have been easy to spot a white fluffy blob in the Skylar's backyard, but since the grass was up to my waist--Mr. Skylar probably gave up tending to the yard when his wife quit her job as a housewife--it was nearly impossible to find her.

"Lets see. My parents are annoying and my brother is a big cry baby…I wonder why that dog's my best friend too sometimes," she sneered, shoving all the newly cleaned clothes that came out from the dryer into the laundry basket.

I pouted. "Oh, that hurts. I thought we had something special."

"Punching bags, remember?"

"Right, right." I sighed, no longer feeling like joking. "We need to talk."

I was treated with a suspicious elevated eyebrow and she frowned, "You're not pregnant are you?"

I punched her on the shoulder, regretting it afterwards because the movement put strain on my neck. "No, the guy jumped me-- not raped me, you idiot."

"Well how would I know? The way your mother explained it to me—she made it sound like he actually _got_ you. But anyway! Lets head to my room to 'talk'."

I followed her upstairs, occasionally glancing at the furniture to see if I could find anything new. Mrs. Skylar had a bad temper and she would hurl things at her husband while they were arguing, which caused them to get new furniture just about every day. It's amazing how much damage that woman could make.

However, all I saw were the old furniture. She still had the dark blue lazy boy chairs, the comfy blue couch that sat in between those lazy boy chairs, and the huge flat screen television. Ah, so many memories with that television. In one of our fights, I had nearly knocked it over due to my clumsiness. The kitchen's sink was filled up to the top with dirty dishes. The kitchen's table, as I recalled, had brown burned marks from when Erica and I were playing with fire at the age of ten. We were only trying to burn the napkins but got more than we bargained for.

Yep. Our parents were _**not**_ happy with us.

Upon entering her room, I noticed that her heavy metal band posters had been taken down and her walls looked too bare. The surfboard patterned bed covers were stripped off to reveal her hello kitty bed sheets and, once again, I could not find the floor.

"Don't you ever clean your room?" I asked teasingly, stepping over the pile of dirty clothes.

"My room, my rules. I get to do whatever I want with my own territory," she retorted as she closed her bedroom door. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Okay," I uttered, finally getting down to business. "You know how you love to read about mythology and all that jazz?"

"Yea. So?" She shrugged casually and leaned against her computer desk, almost knocking over the only framed picture of her whole family. It had been taken before her family started to fall apart, and it was the only picture where they were all together without wearing forced smiles.

"How many mythological creatures bite humans and have fangs?"

"Are you trying to tell me that you were bitten by a mythological creature?" she chuckled. "And to think that you were the practical one. Someone has warped your mind, and I want to meet them."

I scowled, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. "No seriously, someone attacked and bit me on the neck. Take a look."

I delicately peeled off the bandage that covered my neck and got closer to her so she could examine the bite marks.

"Those look like…fang marks," she mumbled curiously, eying the bite mark and me. "I say this because I have a dog and I know what fang marks look like."

"You make it seem like a dog bit me."

"It's possible."

"Well it wasn't. It was definitely a man, who was shot and killed by some other man."

Erica's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. "Shot and _killed_? Well that was nice of you to leave that particular part out. By who? Why haven't you reported this?"

"Uh hello? Fangs, girl. I have _fang marks_ on my neck. Do you honestly believe the police would actually _consider_ my story to be true? And it's not just because he had fangs and was shot and killed and God knows where his body is now, but what also freaked me out was that his eyes glowed red before he was killed. And then they became hazel! WHO IS GOING TO BELIEVE THAT?"

Erica stared at me quietly, scanning my eyes to see if I was lying and I could see that she was trying to come up with a logical explanation. Which, by the way, was normally _my_ job.

"Red eyes?" she questioned skeptically.

I nodded, wishing it wasn't true. "Pure red, freaky eyes."

"You have a habit of lying a lot, Sere, but you've never involved bogus crap like this," she sighed, folding her arms over her chest thoughtfully. "You said he was shot? Did you see who shot him?"

"Yea, a man from Japan who actually came into our store earlier. You can even ask Jade. He's my witness."

I was now thankful that Jade was there to see him or I might have considered myself a lunatic.

_Maybe my old classmates were right about that straightjacket. _

And then a light bulb went off in my head.

"The shooter said his name was Yagari Touga!" I nearly shouted, snapping my fingers and I stood up. "He told me before I blacked out."

"A man from Japan? How…coincidental…and what idiotic killer would tell you his name? That doesn't make any sense."

"You don't think he followed me to the States, do you?" I questioned, now thinking about it and feeling all the more paranoid.

_I have a stalker. Fabulous! _

Erica rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Unlikely but…somewhat still possible."

"You should have just lied and told me no," I whined.

"Well, back to the whole mythology thing, I can think of several things that have fangs, but the popular ones are werewolves, vampires and demonic creatures," she said, looking as if she was raking her mind for more data. "Werewolves, however, need a full moon and take on a beastly appearance. I know for a fact that the moon wasn't full on the day you were attacked."

"So…a vampire or a demon? That's just creepy."

"Well it's not like we're talking about fairies and elves here," she rolled her eyes and I let out a gasp.

"Oh my god! What if you were right? What if the students at my school are vampires and that's why they stay up so late? And what if my teachers really _are _werewolves who eat pixies at night!" I yelled frantically and she broke down with hysterical laughter. "I'M BEING SERIOUS!"

"And that's what makes it so damn funny!" Erica howled with laughter, holding her stomach as if it ached.

I felt heat rise in my cheeks. "Well then what do you suggest?"

"I think you're being overworked and I'm glad your mom made you quit."

I glowered, trying to keep my infamous temper in check. "I meant as in how do you explain my attack."

She shrugged indifferently. "I honestly have no clue, Sere, but just be more alert the next time you're by yourself, okay?"

I sighed, feeling more disturbed and violated than usual, but I nodded in agreement. We didn't bring up the subject anymore. Instead we talked about our families and how much trouble I got into when they discovered that I had, indeed, taken Mr. Tampon's possessions.

As promised, I called Mom before leaving her house around seven P.M., and told Erica to be careful as well. She punched my shoulder, smirked and told me that was for old times' sake.

To which I responded with a harsh smack on her back and took off running before she could kill me.

* * *

"You owe me an explanation," I scowled at her when my eyes finally landed on a familiar green-eyed, dark haired beauty and she blushed furiously. "Normal people don't call other people, cry on the phone and then don't explain why. They _also_ _**pick up**_ phones when others worry about them."

_And red-eyed freaks don't bite them either, but who's asking?_

"I'll explain when we get home…there's too many people here and we could have an unwanted audience," Kiren answered softly, glancing down at her shoes in embarrassment, and I nodded.

Kiren was the spitting image of her mother and had all of her mannerisms. Her father, a short man with stubby black hair and dim brown eyes, came across as the one in charge. He dictated where my luggage belonged, where I should sit, and throughout the ride to their house he bragged about his job as a fisherman.

He was the one who brought the bacon--I mean tuna-- home.

I had to bite my tongue from mouthing off, and grudgingly, I acted polite for Kiren's sake. Kiren's mother never said a word. She would simply shake or nod her pretty little head to my inquires and offered me docile smiles when her husband wasn't looking. After two hours, the car pulled up to a classical Japanese house with sliding doors and a small, cute garden.

_Yes, I said cute._

It had colorful flowers, fruit and vegetable plants and one big tree that was flourishing with cherry blossoms. A multi-colored windmill flower was planted right next to the tree, the petals were spinning as a cool draft passed us. There was a red brick pathway to the door and I couldn't help but smile.

"Props to the gardener."

Mrs. Darako blushed, bowing her head to me in thanks.

"Yes, she's very proud of her garden," Kiren smiled, gently caressing her mother's back with affection and pride. "She's worked hard on it."

"Maybe she could teach me then. I don't have a green thumb. I just kill the plants."

Kiren blinked at me, puzzled. "Green thumb?"

"A figure of speech. Just means I don't know how to take care of plants," I enlightened her.

"Bags. Upstairs. Now," Mr. Darako barked in broken English, tossing my luggage onto the floor and Mrs. Darako jumped at the sudden crashing sound. She was quick to grab my luggage and take it inside before her husband could bark out another order.

I visibly twitched; disapproving the treatment Mrs. Darako was receiving and shot Kiren a glance. She avoided my eyes.

I trailed after Kiren and Mrs. Darako upstairs, taking my luggage from Mrs. Darako's hands once I had the chance and Kiren led me to her room, which was at the end of the hall.

It was a small room with white colored walls, consisting of a twin-sized bed that had lime green bed covers and a ton of fluffy pillows, one window with lime green curtains, and a huge wooden wardrobe that had two body-length mirrors on each of doors.

"Nice room, but are we sharing a bed? That could give your parents a heart attack unless, you know, you swing that way. I don't mind," I playfully winked at her and she turned another shade of red.

"Serena, there's a pull out bed underneath my mattress. You'll be sleeping on that," she informed me, a smile slowly gracing her face. "I almost forgot about your crude sense of humor."

I gave her a mocked frown. "Already? It's only been three weeks and a couple of days since we last saw each other."

"Yes, well, it's not as if you have a common personality," she smirked. "How was your stay at home?"

_To tell her or not to tell her. That is the question._

"How about you tell me what's been going on instead of avoiding it," I replied, somewhat aggressively.

She poked her head out to see if anyone was standing next to her bedroom door and then closed it. "It's about Mom."

"What about her?"

She sighed, her shoulders slumping and sat down on the edge of her bed. "A couple of months ago she was diagnosed with cancer…and she started to cough up blood and lose weight over the summer. It didn't affect me when I first learned about it…I suppose I was in denial…but when I saw the blood…I just broke down."

Well that was a lot to swallow.

"How much longer?" I carefully questioned.

She raised her shoulders slowly up and let them slump back down quickly. It was the first time I have ever seen her sulk.

"Why didn't you tell me about it before?" I asked gently. I didn't know where my boundaries were on this topic and I didn't want to further upset her. "Come to think about it. I don't really know much about you, huh Kiren? You don't talk about yourself."

Kiren smiled, tears brimming her eyes. "I guess that's our culture, you know? We keep a lot of things to ourselves, but to tell you the truth, it's a relief you're not like that. I sometimes feel like my chest is going to explode if I don't talk to someone and you're my closet friend so when I broke down…"

I hastily cut off her ramble to reassure her. "That's fine. I don't mind you calling me if you need me, but damn it! Give me a warning! I became paranoid! I thought something bad happened--not that this isn't bad…you know what I mean!"

She chuckled, her hands curling on top of her knees in embarrassment. "Yea, sorry about that. Dad caught me on the phone. He doesn't want people to know about her…condition."

I frowned, taking a seat next to her. "What's his problem? He knows that his wife is dying and he treats her like a…_a slave_."

"Because that's how it always was," she sighed. She took a pillow from her bed and held it closely. "He's afraid of change. He doesn't want things to change. He doesn't want to accept her illness just as much as I do."

"So he's living in his own state of denial? How rude. She doesn't deserve that crap."

"Serena, I was rude too…and…please don't…interfere. As much as I know she shouldn't be treated like that, it should be me who tells Father to…to be more kind," she whispered.

There were footsteps outside of her door, walking back and forth.

"Then why don't you?" I whispered back, watching the shadows underneath her door and waited for the rude interruption.

Her watery eyes had a feeble quality in them. "Because he is my father—the man of the house. As an offspring, it's almost like a law to not speak out against him."

I snorted, feeling more aggravated with him. "Sorry, it's times like these I'm glad I don't have one."

"But you know what?" She said between her sniffless. "Mother told me that everyone has to be spiritually strong because...the body's strength is useless without a fighting spirit. If a person...can't handle...emotional trauma...then they would allow pain to ruin their souls and...become empty vessels...or just bitter people."

She hiccuped and used her palms to wipe away the falling tears. I sat silently, not quite sure as to how I was supposed to respond to the statement and a part of me felt like her mother had been talking about me. As if I was the bitter person she had been hinting at.

"So... we have to be strong. Both physically and spiritually," I said slowly, pushing strands of her hair behind her ears so I could find her face. "What kind of cancer does she have?"

"Lung cancer," she answered, sniffling again. "Doctors said it was due to smoking and second-hand smoking. She and Dad were both smokers."

"Oh." I scratched my chin thoughtfully. Man, I suck at cheering people up.

"Oh!" she shouted abruptly, her eyes brightening. "I bought you something!"

She scrambled away from her bed and rushed to her wardrobe. At the bottom of it, there was a plastic bag and inside that plastic bag there was a small leather blue box with a red ribbon on top of it.

She handed it to me and I took it questioningly. "I hope you'll like them."

I gulped, feeling guilty that I didn't get her anything. It's not like Erica and I often exchange gifts! I…probably…should have gotten her something. Damn it. I slowly opened the tiny box and found a pair of medium sized silver loop earrings with a small silver chain that cut down the middle of the loops. At the end of the chains were white stars.

There were no words to describe my appreciation.

"I guess you like them judging by your gaping mouth and ogling eyes," she smiled, absolutely proud of herself. "I found them at-"

I didn't give her the chance to finish. Instead I had roughly grabbed her into a bear hug and lifted her off her feet. "THANK YOU SO MUCH! THEY'RE GORGEOUS!"

She giggled like a five year old. "Serena-chan! Put me down!"

A sharp knocking sounded at the door and a gruff male voice spoke. "Everything okay?"

I released Kiren from my grip and responded in Japanese to Mr. Darako. "Yes, we're just…gossiping."

I heard him grunt in disapproval, mumbling about how women shouldn't gossip, but he walked away.

"So did anything exciting happen in America?"

_To lie or not to lie._

"Not really. I worked, cleaned, spent some time with Erica, harassed Mom's new boyfriend…"

"Your Mom has a boyfriend?" Kiren questioned, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "What's he like?"

"An ass."

"You have that opinion for all men."

" 'Cause it's true."

"Oh there has to be something about him you like."

"Nope." And I was definitely, absolutely, _positively_ certain about that one.

"Well…who is he?"

"Some government analyst who haves way too much fun with Mom if you ask me and he likes to incite me just as much as I do. So it's even."

She shook her head. "Can I get a name?"

"Mr. Tampon," I answered curtly with a serious note in my voice.

Kiren laughed loudly at my reply. "He can't be seriously named Tampon."

"No, it's just my nickname for him," I grinned as she shook her head again at my absurdity.

"You're cruel sometimes."

"Only to people I hate. I'm discriminating, yes, I know."

"Did Aidou-senpai call?" There was a big grin on her face as she changed the topic, sounding too hopeful.

"Hate to bust your bubble, but no, he didn't," I chuckled as her grin instantly turned upside down.

"Why not?"

I shrugged, "Because he's an ass."

"_Serena-chan…_"

"It's the truth!" I argued. Actually, I had completely forgotten about him over the break. I was too caught up with my own crap that I didn't have the time to be angry with him for not calling me.

"Who cares really? It's not like I was expecting him to." And I didn't. Honest to God!

She continued to frown at me so I sighed. "Okay, would it help any if I told you I had a weird dream about him over the summer?"

She immediately perked up again. "Really about what? Was it romantic?"

"He was standing over my grave laughing like a maniac," I said bluntly. "Yep, sounds as romantic as it gets, right?"

"Well, I guess it's a start. He could be the man of your dreams. It always starts with something weird though. At least, that's what Mother told me."

"Really? Your mother sounds...disturbing. And to tell you the truth, I feel violated."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Of course you would say that."

"Well it's true. I mean it's bad enough that I have to see him in reality. Now I have to see him in my dreams? I find that irksome. There should be a law that states that no one can enter your dreams without your permission. Hmm…I wonder how he would appear in my insanity..."

"Serena-chan, why is your neck bandaged?" she asked out of the blue, eying my neck and the white old bandage that I should probably change.

My hands impulsively reached for my neck and I massaged the area of where I was bitten. "I…had an accident…with a dog."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Oh my! What happened?"

"I, well you know me, I provoked it and it got mad at me and it bit me," I answered, feeling my insides squirm as I lied to her. I felt horrible for being dishonest with her, especially since she just told me about her mom. Shouldn't I be returning the gesture?

She frowned at me and poked me with her index finger. "You really ought to not pick on animals…let me see it."

"See what?" I asked stupidly, too busy fighting with the demons in my stomach.

"The bite!"

_Oh yea, duh!_

"No, I rather keep it covered for now. It still hurts."

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"Yea…Mom took me to one. I needed shots too."

"Oh, well I suppose you're right."

_And the web of lies keep weaving…_

* * *

The next morning, while I was taking a shower I might add, I heard a loud screech inside the house. Startled, I jumped, dropping the soap and slipped on the blasted thing. My hands instantly flew out to grab the edge of the tub and I kept my head from hitting the tub and wall. I snatched the orange fluffy towel, wrapped it around me tightly, and charged through the bathroom door after slamming my shoulder and weight into it because the stupid door wouldn't open.

Note to other people: Never do that. It hurts. _A hell of a lot. _

I hurried down the stairs, taking two steps at a time.

"Kiren? KIREN! WHERE ARE YOU?" I bellowed, thinking that it was probably not a good idea to face an enemy in the house wearing nothing but a towel. I mean, honestly, what was I gonna say to them? Release Kiren or I'll whip you with my towel?

_Yea, that was bright. Why don't I just show off my bare, wet—_

"In the kitchen!" I heard her respond and I thankfully didn't have to finish that sentence.

"What's wrong?" I opened the kitchen door to see Kiren standing on the kitchen's chair and the first thing that slipped out of my mouth was, "What the hell?"

"Serena-chan! Thank Kami!" She began talking so fast in Japanese that she made my head spin as I tried to translate all her words.

"Kiren! ENGLISH PLEASE!"

"It's a bug," she wailed childishly, pointing at a brown grasshopper near the table as she clutched tightly to the chair.

"It's just a grasshopper!" I blinked, not seeing the threat.

"IT'S DISGUSTING, THAT'S WHAT IT IS! I MEAN LOOK AT IT—IT'S GOT STRINGY LEGS AND EVERYTHING! OH DEAR GODS IN HEAVEN! IT'S STARING AT ME! _**IT'S STARING AT ME**__!_ WITH THOSE REPULSIVE, GIGANTIC ORANGE EYES! AHHHH! IT MOVED! SERENA! KILL IT! _KILL IT_!"

If I hadn't been wrapped up in a towel, I would have keeled over and died laughing, but I settled for giggling.

The grasshopper hopped, moving closer to Kiren and she shrieked. She jumped from the chair, her hands waving in the air frantically and she darted behind me. "SERENA! PLEASE, _PLEASE_ KILL IT! MAKE THE HORROR STOP! AHHH IT'S MOVING AGAIN! IT'S COMING AFTER ME! OH KAMI!"

By then I was on the floor, holding my stomach so it wouldn't explode and my face had gone from pink to a dark shade of red due to the lack of oxygen. The bug abruptly turned around as if it knew its life was being threatened and scurried under the oven. Kiren screeched enthusiastically, jumping from one leg to the other, and rushed to the oven and turned it on, laughing insanely.

"AND NOW YOU SHALL DIE INSECT! FOR I SHALL COOK YOU!"

Who knew Kiren-- imperturbable, dutiful and obedient Kiren--had a phobia of grasshoppers?

"How long do you think it'll take before it dies of heat stroke?" she questioned as she pushed her hair back calmly and recomposed herself. She straightened her clothing, acting as if nothing happened.

"Well…to honestly say I…I don't know if it has heat strokes," I stated through my giggles and just as I spoke I watched as the grasshopper, looking quite peeved, jumped high enough for Kiren to notice it and she let out an earsplitting scream.

"YOU DAMNABLE WRETCHED, CURSED THING!"

She snatched the broom from the closet and then faced me to give me malicious glare.

"What?" I asked innocently, wondering what I had done to deserve that look. I thought she was going to chase it off with the broom, but she handed it to me.

"You kill it," she bluntly ordered with a disturbing, cruel tone.

"Why? It's not bothering me."

Her eyes reduced into dangerous, determined slits. "Because I have tried and failed. You shall kill it, or it will populate in my house and spread disease. And I will not permit that to happen!"

"You have got to be kidding. They don't even spread disease!"

She vigorously shook her head, thrusting the broom into my hands and sprinted upstairs to avoid the insect.

I sniggered, watching her leave and shook my head in astonishment. "Wow. I was not expecting that."

I scanned the kitchen for the grasshopper, finding it near the door trying to escape and opened the door for it. Without even using the broom to scoot it out, the grasshopper fled from the house, probably thinking that it should disappear before Evil tried to burn it again. I returned the broom to its rightful place in the closet where all the coats were hung and went back upstairs to finish my shower. I still had shampoo in my hair and it was starting to drip into my eyes, causing my eyes to burn with irritation.

"Is it dead?" Kiren peeked from her room, looking disheveled since her hair was sticking up and I had the sudden urge to jump at her to see if she would shriek and slam her door shut.

"No, but it's not in the house anymore either so you can relax," I grinned, shoving the urge down and she sighed in relief, only to perk up once more.

"What?" I questioned, seeing her curious look.

"I was going to ask what happened to the bathroom door."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

I glanced at the bathroom and discovered it on the floor. I blushed, realizing that in my panic and rush, I had forgotten that the door was a sliding door and I went right through it.

Okay, okay, so I'm still making adjustments from the American culture to the Japanese culture. Every American door has a friggin' doorknob, okay!

I laughed sheepishly. "Yea…about that door…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

This was very therapeutic for me. :D

Before anyone goes too far ahead, no, Serena does not know about the Night Class being vampires. She will soon though. Maybe in the next two chapters or so.

-shrug-

As far as the cancer goes...I'm doing my research on it, but please, _please_ correct me when I'm wrong about any information later on. I had an aunt who died from it and I can't exactly ask my relatives for details about it because I know they'll say it's too personal to write about. However, writing is the only way I deal with things so...

Has anyone pulled on a door that said 'push' or vice versa? –raises hand- I'm guilty as charged. And how about actually going _through_ a door?

I, sadly, have to admit to that stupidity.

I'm glad that my OC is…loved? O.o

I put a lot of careful thought into all of my characters because I don't like perfect people. They make me itch uncomfortably. I suppose I have a phobia of Mary-sues? They do seem to be…contagious.

-scrubs hands as if they contaminated with Mary-sues-

As always, cheers to my readers! Thank you for your time and…hold on, does anyone have any criticism? Tell me!

Till next time!


	11. Object of Attention

Chapter eleven: Object of attention

School started a week later and damn do I sometimes regret staying here. At least in the States we had longer summer vacations. I was more irritable than usual—the heat, the annoying fan girls, the wretched schoolwork and the restrictions were all adding up and I was ready to hit anybody who said a wrong word to me.

Kiren had taken the liberty of preparing our room. She decorated it with navy blue curtains that had green star patterns, a few multi-colored rugs, and two neutral colored lamps.

She had grinned at me when I eyed them. "So we can see better we study."

"Are you suggesting that we study at night?"

"No but just get in case."

I snorted in response, showing that I had no intention of doing anything at night other than sleeping and stargazing.

I made certain to avoid certain hallways of the school, seeing as the fan girls were taking over some of the halls and becoming more vindictive. Anyone who encountered them were greeted with, "Idol-senpai is mine!" and such-and-such belonged to them. I, personally, knew that I could take them on a verbal account, but I couldn't on a physical one. Not without getting suspended or expelled anyway, and I couldn't go back to America--not after telling Mom that this was the school I wanted to attend, and then I would have to face Mr. Tampon and his preferred private school. Might as well send me off to boot camp.

"HEY! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" someone yelled rudely and swiftly shoved me aside, not even glancing back.

I studied the boy in front of me. The moron had pearl white hair that stuck out in all directions as if he had been electrocuted and he was tall, so pale that I wanted to shove him into a tanning booth and lock him in for his own health, and wearing a Night Class uniform. It figures. Were all Night Class students full of themselves?

And was it time for the exchange already?

"Yo, asshole, this hallway is big enough for _four_ people to walk," I sneered venomously.

"Yea, well, looks like your fat ass can cover the entire hallway," he smirked, flashing me a lecherous look.

You've got to be kidding. First the bastard insults me, then he checks me out? My blood began to boil at perilous levels but before I could make a nasty remark, Mr. Bunny had him by his collar and was actually _growling_ at him.

"You will _not_ talk to her that way again." His cold, ruthless tone matched with his ominously narrowed oceanic eyes and he tightened his grasp on the boy's collar. "Understood?"

"Relax man, I was just playing with her. I mean look at her. She's easy prey," he snorted and then quickly muttered a long apology once he noticed the death threat in Mr. Bunny's eyes.

I watched Mr. Bunny release the moron from his grip and the white haired male quickly took off. Immediately after he was gone, Mr. Bunny's shoulders slumped back to ease and he stared at me, his eyes much more softer.

"Sorry, he just transferred."

"Uh uh…" I answered, not quite sure if he had calmed down yet.

"You weren't at the gates to greet me," he pouted childishly, causing me to roll my eyes.

"And you didn't call me over the summer," I retorted, wondering where the hell did that come from.

_I thought I didn't care that he didn't call?_

His face comically fell, his eyes finding new interest on the ground. "I was busy…"

"I'm sure you were."

"Well it's not like you told me to call!"

"I wouldn't have given my number if I didn't want you to, idiot."

_WHERE WAS THIS ALL COMING FROM?_

"I…was busy," he sighed, running his left hand through his golden hair. "And I'm not just saying that as an excuse. I honestly was!"

I stared at him for a bit. Part of me wanted to continue arguing and the other part me didn't really care. I settled for shrugging. "Whatever, your life."

He eyed me suspiciously, as if he was waiting for me to bark at him. "That's it? No rude insults? No yelling?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No," he replied quickly.

"Then just drop it."

"So…how was summer?"

I shrugged again. "Eventful."

"What's that on your neck?" Without my permission, his fingers gingerly traced the two punctured holes on my neck, which were barely visible due to healing, and he shot me an intense stare. The ocean in his eyes looked like as if it were roaring with rage.

"Err…dog bite. Got into a fight with a dog," I lied instantly, feeling all the blood rush to my head thanks to the soft caress and took a step back.

"…A dog?" he frowned, his fingertips still on my neck and I took another step back to be out of reach.

"It was a _big_ dog, okay? And it knocked me over," I answered irritably, exhaling the breath I had been holding. "Just drop the subject."

"Fine."

A long, uncomfortable silence grew and I began shifting my weight nervously from one leg to another, chewing on my bottom lip and wished I could think of something to say.

_When did he ever trigger this reaction from me? Usually I'm biting his head off or cracking a joke_.

"I gotta get going. I have to meet up with Kiren," I suddenly stated calmly, which took a lot of effort to say believe it or not.

He nodded curtly, staring behind me. "And I have to get to class."

"Well then…see you later!" I waved, grateful of the excuse and power walked to my bedroom, opening and slamming the door shut behind me. I breathed out, realizing that I had been holding it in for no apparent reason again.

"Serena-chan?" Kiren's voice made me jump.

"Yes?" I said after recovering, rolling my eyes at my own stupidity.

"Did you want to go out stargazing tonight?" she asked, poking her head out of the bathroom. "The weather forecast said it was supposed to be warm and cloudless. I think tonight is the full moon too."

I cringed, suddenly recalling Erica's words about a full moon. "Maybe it's not a good idea."

Kiren chuckled. "Are you actually turning down an offer to go outside and look at the stars? Are you okay?"

"Yea, but it's the first week of school and I really think we should follow the rules…at least just for tonight."

Kiren sighed, closing the bathroom door behind her and sat on her bed. "Ah. I guess you're right. Shame though. They said there were supposed to be some meteors tonight."

"Really?" I questioned, sounding too eager.

"Yep, but if you don't want to go, then we'll just go another night."

_Damn it! She's baiting me! Uhhh...full moon vs. staying inside…werewolves vs. …oh for crying out loud!_

"I changed my mind!" I declared loudly, swiftly grabbing my telescope and gathered my belongings into my bag.

Kiren grinned as if she knew what I was going to do all along and was instantly on her feet to help me pack up.

* * *

I snorted in annoyance. It's something I've noticed about the weathermen: they're never right no matter what country I'm in. The air was cool for a late August night and there were scattered, diaphanous clouds. I could only see the really bright stars with just my eyes. Thank God for telescopes.

Kiren pouted. "Sorry, I guess I heard wrong."

"Nah, you probably heard right but they were wrong," I made a small smile. "But it's still nice out."

She nodded and laid out the orange blanket she brought with her.

"We having a picnic out here too?" I teased and she chuckled.

"No but I thought this would be more comfortable than the ground." She patted the spot next to her. "Sit."

"Oh, demanding, aren't we?" I smirked and joined her on the blanket, digging my knees into the ground as I set up the telescope.

"You know, the Gamma Doradids, which is the meteor shower we are about to witness is extremely hard to see in America because of the location and where the showers are …well, showering. But since we're in Japan, we're going to get a better view of it," I informed her, centering the telescope five degrees northwest on the fourth magnitude star Gamma Doradus. "And it's probably going to look like it's moving in slow motion."

"When did you get to be so good at astronomy?" she asked curiously, her face tilting towards the sky. "And how long did it take you?"

"I started when Dad left and it took me years to learn everything—it helps if you write it down, but it's fun and it's interesting. I like spacey things," I grinned. "Now watch for it. It should start in five minutes in that direction."

I lifted her hand and made her point her index finger. "Right there. And you'll see something yellowish and a line."

"You two are out here again?" A familiar, masculine voice sighed in irritation. "It's against the rules."

"Ah, Zero, my dear silver haired buddy, how are you? Did you miss me over break?" I childishly waved at the prefect, grinning like a maniac despite the fact I knew he was going to tell me to go back to our room.

"We're here to watch some meteor showers, care to join us?" Kiren asked tentatively, as if she didn't want to cause any problems.

"No, and you need to return to your room," he stated detachedly.

"Oh come on, Number! You only get to see meteor showers once in a great while.

"Number? You're picking on my name again?"

"Well it is a number. I thought I got that down the first time we introduced ourselves," I grinned.

"Go to your room. That's an order."

"You're beginning to sound like a parent," I teased.

"Fontana-chan. I'm warning you."

"That you'll what? Ground me?"

"Serena-chan, perhaps we should return to our room," Kiren whispered, already prepared to pack up.

"No, we want to watch the meteor showers and I don't see how this prefect here is going to cause any problems unless he's going to inform the Headmaster that we were out here," I argued, folding my arms over my chest stubbornly. "And if he does, I'll just talk to the man. He's just a man after all."

And there it was—the long stream of light that scratched the surface of the sky and Kiren gasped in delight. Instinctively, I rushed to the telescope, nearly poked my eye from moving too fast and caught a glimpse of the flying meteor.

"ZERO! Take a look! Don't give me that! You know you want to!" I yanked him by the forearm and shoved the eyepiece roughly to his face, making him grunt in surprise and frustration as he was forced to watch the meteor shower.

"It's beautiful," Kiren said softly.

"Isn't it?" I smiled, noticing the prefect now willingly viewing the show with curiosity as he adjusted the eyepiece. Something told me he never saw the sky up close.

Zero stayed with us for two hours, which was how long the meteor shower endured, and I knew that he only remained to keep an eye on us and to watch the meteor shower.

_Kill two birds with one stone, right? _

"All right, _now_ go back to your room," he ordered, returning the telescope to me after I had silently called him a telescope hog.

"Yes Dad," I muttered under my breath, dismembering the telescope and shoved the pieces into my bag as well as the charts. While he and Kiren were viewing the meteor shower, I had jotted down the name of the meteor shower, date, time, place and whom I was with in my charts.

After he left, Kiren and I tiredly made our trek back to our room. It was around four in the morning and we had to wake up soon for our classes. Maybe this had been a bad idea.

"Do you think we should skip class and feign illness?" Kiren yawned, covering her mouth with her right hand.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Who are you and what have you done with Kiren?"

She giggled, moving slower than a slug. "What's that supposed to mean? That I'm not any fun?"

"Well first you suggest to go watch the meteor showers, knowing fully well that it would be against the rules, and then you suggest to skip school. That doesn't sound like the Kiren I was rooming with last semester," I replied.

"Well this semester I wanted to be more…open minded. I felt as if I was too uptight and robotic last semester," she said.

"Meaning what?"

She stopped walking and turned to face me with a sad expression in her eyes. "I want to appreciate life more. There's more to life than just studying."

_Oh. So that's what this is about. Her Mom._

"Well, as long as it doesn't affect your grades," I told her with a soft smile, not knowing what else to say.

Kiren giggled, nodding her head in understanding and I gave her a gentle push to get her back in the right direction.

_She acts like she's drunk when she's tired._

"Serena-chan?" her voice was soft and the tone suggested that she was contemplating something.

"What?"

"When…when Mom…" she sighed and began to sway, "when my mom dies, would you come to the funeral with me?"

I paused behind her and took her arm to steady her, and then shook my head. "You don't know that she's going to die. If anything, she might even pull through. I've heard most cancer patients actually survive."

"But…but if she doesn't?"

I almost didn't hear what she said because she was talking so lowly. I sighed and wished we weren't talking about death.

"Yea, I promise," I said and I meant it.

She sniffled and started to cry, wrapping her arms around my neck for support and I had no choice but to hug her back.

_Looks like I'll have to be her pillar this semester, just as she was my bodyguard through the last one._

* * *

I was running, chasing after something. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest and my breathing as I ran. My arms, lifting up and down, were close to my chest. My skin burned but felt cold at the same time. I disregarded the feeling, knowing that it was because I was running. It was cold outside and the tall, looming trees created too many shadows, making it hard to see in the dark.

A branch snapped behind me and began to fall, forcing me to leap before I was crushed underneath its weight. I paused, standing on top of a boulder and stared at the broken tree in wonder. Since the tree was no longer as tall as it used to be, some sunlight came through the woods and I traced a large ray of light to find it end on a small red haired boy.

"When did you get here?" I asked in my bewilderment and the boy grinned, causing me to recoil.

The boy's two front teeth were missing and it made his canines stick out more, appearing to me like a vampire. But what freaked me out the most was the bullet hole in his forehead and leaking blood that trailed to the side of his head.

"Who are you?" I hoarsely inquired, fear raking my spine.

He waved childishly, beckoning me to follow him and--I don't know what the hell possessed me--I followed him.

I was running, chasing after him and he led me to a huge rectangular hole in the ground. He pointed at it, frowning and walked around the edges of the hole.

"Was this where you were buried?" I asked. It was the only logical explanation I could think of. "Did you want me to discover you?"

He shook his head and pointed at me and then at the hole.

I stared deeply at him, examining his face and the hole. It was too big for a ten-year-old child.

"Is it…is it mine?" My voice shook and when I looked up, to my dismay, the boy nodded.

_Is it sinful to kill someone who kills?_

"SERENA-CHAN!" I heard someone scream and I jumped, falling off my bed and my head collided with the floor.

"Oh! I'm _**so**_ sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" Kiren was instantly at my side, trying to help me up.

"I'm fine…" I grunted, feeling sore.

"We're going to be late for class! And we can't miss this one because last week we skipped!" she shouted, running around in the room and threw the school's uniform at me. "HURRY UP!"

"Right, right," I mumbled, slowly removing my rear from the ground and stumbled into the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Kiren and I were racing each other down the hall and we discovered that the door to our classroom was locked. I peeked in, seeing the students in their seats and the teacher lecturing. I rolled my eyes, knowing that this meant the teacher wanted to talk to us individually. Kiren sulked, sinking herself onto the bench outside the room and I sat on the floor with my back against the door. Occasionally I would glance at her to make sure she wasn't crying since it was her first time getting into trouble.

_Ugh. Virgins._

Class ended an hour later and we waited for the students to desert the classroom. Shizune and her posse passed by us, giggling and leering at us. Kiren, with her hands curled tightly on her knees, stared at the ground in embarrassment and shifted uncomfortably.

"Let me guess, you were out stargazing and you didn't wake up early enough this morning," Shizune sneered. "You don't even look like you showered."

I rolled my eyes, praying to the higher powers to give me patience.

"Look at this hair, you don't even take care of it don't you? Slob," Asura rudely commented, grabbing a strand of my red hair.

"No, I don't sit in the bathroom for hours trying to style it." I moved away, sensing my private space shrinking.

"And you," Shizune grunted, using her hand to force Kiren to look at her. "You've never _ever_ missed school before. Much less skip a class. She's bad influence, you know."

Kiren did her best not to look at her, appearing ashamed of missing school. I felt something rumble in my throat.

"Did you just growl at me?" Shizune laughed at me, giving me a look of disbelief and amusement.

"Back the fuck off Shizune," I warned, finally getting to my feet.

_Attempting to bully me is one thing, but teasing Kiren is another_.

"Or what?" she smirked. "You're already in trouble for skipping class. You wouldn't dare start a fight now."

"You'd be surprised," I grunted, curling my hands into fists at my sides and forced myself to smile.

"Is that a threat?" she chortled, looking at Asura for back up.

"Mine is," a masculine voice interrupted us and I turned around to face Zero. "Leave."

Shizune and Asura and the girls that were with them stared at the male prefect, and visibly decided that they would rather not provoke him. They nodded to each other before departing--Shizune had roughly patted Kiren's head first though.

Zero sighed. "Do try to behave Fontana-chan. School started only two weeks ago."

"Oh but it's so hard!" I mockingly laughed.

He shot me a dark glare. "You need to be more careful. You're possibly making more enemies than you can handle."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I snapped and then realized he had been staring at my neck. The two punctured holes weren't visible anymore but there were times that I could still feel the pain and I would relive the attack in my dreams.

My right hand gently touched the delicate area, avoiding Zero's eyes and stared at the ground.

"Go on, the teacher is waiting for you," he said in his casual monotonous voice.

Kiren stood up and followed me inside, and we both mentally and physically (poor ears) prepared ourselves for the lecture.

Okay, so for the most part I was there only physically. Mentally, I was absent. The teacher went on and on about discipline and honor and respect and…was that Mr. Bunny? I strolled over to the window, ignoring the shouts from the teacher as I leaned to get a better look. What in the world was he doing outside? In the sunlight no less?

After our little 'lecture', Kiren headed to the library so she could catch up on the missing work while I headed off to the top of the roof, thinking maybe that's where he would be. And bingo! There he was, looking as if he had just woken up, and he shot me a glare when I appeared in his line of vision.

"Took you long enough," he greeted me with a grumpy voice.

"Oh you mean you were waiting for me?" I chuckled, but then I frowned when I noticed the dark lines under his eyes. "Have you not been sleeping, or something?"

He ran his left hand through his hair, ruffling the already untamed blonde curls. "I had…a nightmare so to speak."

"Awww…did Mr. Bunny need to be comforted?"

My teasing earned me a whack on the head. "Oww! You fag!"

"It was about you, you idiot!"

"You're dreaming about me now? Oh that's really _disturbing_."

He gave me a sharp, stern glare. "You died."

"…Oh."

We stared at each other in uncomfortable silence until I started to fidget and broke it ten minutes later.

"It was just a nightmare. As you can see, I'm still here. I'm not dead, I'm not wounded, I'm not bleeding—"

"That's …kinda why I came out here."

"You wanted to make sure I was okay?" I asked. It was supposed to be an innocent, curious question but it made him go beet red in the face and it caused yet another uncomfortable silence.

I inhaled calmly. "Okay, well, to tell you the truth. I've been having dreams too."

"You have?" He sounded skeptical.

"Yea."

"What about?" he asked curiously.

"Well you were in one-"

"Now who's disturbing?" he grinned mischievously.

"Don't make me kill you."

That was the second time I made a death threat and it was the second time he laughed at it. Does he think he's invincible or something? Arrogant fag.

"Sorry, go on."

"You were standing above my grave and you were laughing like a lunatic," I told him with a smirk, but when I turned to face him, all traces of amusement were gone.

He was _**pissed**_.

"Why, the hell, do you find that amusing?" he growled.

"Chill man, it was just a dream," I said defensively.

"Yea, but you think it's funny."

"I don't see how it could offend you…" I looked at him confusedly.

He snorted. " 'Course you don't."

"Will you stop overreacting and let me finish?" I snapped, feeling the urge to smack him silly.

He folded his arms impatiently and jerked his head to tell me to continue. I took another deep breath.

"In the other dreams that I have had, there's this voice and it's mocking me. It keeps asking me is it sinful to kill someone who kills and then there's this lake. It's like…so still, calm and iron gray usually. Sometimes it's brown. Looking at it makes me feel like I can walk on it and it would be solid enough for me to do it too. And there's a dock next to it that I stand on. In my last dream, I met a red haired boy. I think ten years old, and he guided me to this huge rectangular gravesite and told me that's where I was going to be buried."

I thought he was going to laugh at me when I finished, but he didn't. He just stared at me in thought.

"What?"

"A red haired boy?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous of a kid in my dreams. I'm not a pedophile, okay?"

That did make him laugh. "I would never accuse you of being a pedophile."

"Yea, but you looked like you were going to."

"He just…guides you to your grave? Why?"

"I don't know. I'll ask next time!" I scoffed.

Mr. Bunny scowled. "I just don't understand why a child would appear in your dreams."

"I don't either. Maybe that's why they're called _dreams_."

He dug his hands into his hair in frustration. "Sometimes…"

"You really wish I would die?" I interrupted.

"No, that'd be too easy." He gave me a malicious yet playful grin.

"So you're saying torture first?" I quirked an eyebrow and he winked. "Damn it, fag, you're not supposed to make it kinky."

"Why not?"

" 'Cause you're a pink-panties-wearing-fag!"

He growled, grabbing my elbow and he yanked me towards him. I inhaled sharply, unwillingly breathing in his scent and felt suddenly dizzy as if he had just intoxicated me.

"Let go of me," I said, my voice barely whispering.

"Why?" he questioned demandingly, his eyes zooming in on me.

_Too close. He's too close!_

I couldn't breath anymore. My head felt heavy, my legs were wobbly and I felt trapped. The fag did poison me! I cleared my throat, leaned my head against his chest for more support and gathered my anger into my throat.

"Let go of me," I repeated more fiercely and I was finally able to lift up my heavy head to glare at him. "_**Let go**_."

His oceanic eyes, the currents, were pulling me in, but instead of the gentle tugging, they were suffocating me.

"LET GO OF ME!" I shouted.

Finally, he released me and stormed off the roof, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

I was wearing all black from head to toe, and I was at the gravesite, standing at the edge of it and staring at the four corpses. I couldn't make out any of the details. Not their faces, their hair, their skin. They were just big blobs of colors, but I knew they were corpses by the smell of them.

The reeking smell of death.

It hadn't been an easy one. Blood was everywhere. It looked like they had put up a fight.

"Allies," a childish voice next to me whispered, causing Goosebumps to crawl up my arms to my neck.

"Name them," I said to the red haired boy, realizing he had really pretty silver eyes now that I was actually closer to him.

He shook his head.

"Why not?" I questioned but the boy would not reply. He blankly stared forward, frowning at the scene before him.

"Fontana-san, would you kindly give us the answer since you seem to absolutely enjoy this class?" the teacher's voice made me snap back into reality.

A little paper note was next to my head and I hid it under my skirt after reading as the teacher approached me. Apparently, he wanted me to answer a religious inquiry and when I made no immediate response, he sighed and his glasses slid to the tip of his nose.

"Fontana-san, why is it that you pay no attention to my lectures?" he asked, attempting to sound as neutral as possible.

"Because this class, Religion and Philosophy, doesn't interest me," I replied curtly. "I happen to disagree with just about everything."

"Like what?"

And with this, all the class was staring at me. A few of my classmates, such as Shizune and Asura, eagerly waited for me to humiliate myself.

I sighed, knowing my answer was going to cause a riot. "I don't believe in a lot of things."

"Ah, now this is interesting," he said, genuinely smiling, "tell me more. Tell me what you do and do not believe in."

I swallowed and took in a deep breath. I was never good at public speaking. Spotlights made me nervous, and I knew my beliefs were going to be challenged and I was going to have someone shove their beliefs down my throat.

"I believe in God, Jesus, Satan and Heaven. I don't believe in Hell." As soon as I said that a lot of gasps were made and I rolled my eyes.

"You don't believe in Hell?" The teacher held up a hand so the students wouldn't interfere. "That's interesting. May I ask why?"

"Because, well, the stories say that the Devil wants souls, right? He wants to corrupt everyone, but he can't do it in Hell. He needs Earth, so I think Earth is hell. I mean where else are you going to find more souls to convert?" I explained, taking another deep breath before going on. "And besides, I don't like the idea of a place where all Evil goes to live and souls are tortured."

"You're not supposed to like it," he chuckled, leaning on top of a desk of one of my classmates.

"Yea, but think about it. People say God loves all of us, and he's our Father. Well, any good parent would love his child too much…to leave them behind." I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. "He would want them to prove themselves again and-"

"So you're saying that you believe in resurrection? That people are reborn again?"

"Yes, I believe in people come back to Earth to prove themselves again and they will _keep_ coming back to life until they do it right. Lets face it--living _**is**_ hell. What more pain could you ask for?"

"And what of Heaven? What do you believe of that?"

"Heaven…is what you make of it. Some people like the beach, so their Heaven will be a beach when they die. Some people like…mountains! So they'll have a mountain when they go to Heaven. Everyone enjoys something different…their paradise will be something different," I said, feeling really hot at the moment. I was receiving death glares from all angles.

"That's a very interesting view--odd! And different! But interesting nonetheless," he said with a grin on his face. "Class, today's homework will be to write up your own beliefs. I want them at least ten pages long. Give me details! Give me evidence! Give me theories to support your beliefs! Dismissed!"

And the bell rang just as he dismissed us.

I exhaled loudly as we walked out of the classroom and looked at Kiren who was beaming. "What?"

"I think that was the most fascinating conversation I've ever had in that class," Kiren grinned. "You didn't tell me all this."

"You never asked, and if you don't mind, lets not talk about it right now," I told her, knowing I was still getting glares and I wasn't exactly comfortable with talking about religion.

"So it's different! But it's exciting too! I could have sworn you said you were a catholic though," she said.

"I was raised catholic, but once I grew up I had…a lot of things happen and they influenced me."

"Oh? Bad things?"

"I don't know…I guess…"

"Darako Kiren!" A male voice shouted.

We both spun around to see Headmaster Cross, waving his arm around to grab our attention. "I need you in my office."

Kiren gave me a desperate, fearful look before following the headmaster.

_Something might be wrong with her mother._

* * *

I didn't dare make an appearance at the time of the exchange, fearing the fan girls would rip off my head, and if not the fan girls, then the people who wanted to convert me.

I've noticed that men were suddenly easier to get along with.

Another reason I avoided it was because I didn't feel like facing Mr. Bunny—not after seeing the possessive look in his eyes. It almost seemed like he wanted to own me. I shivered, walking faster to get to my room.

"Fontana-san!"

_Damn it! So close!_

I was an inch close to the Sun dorms when a tall guy with orange hair and amber eyes yelled my name. I blinked, taking in the wild appearance of the guy and frowned.

_Another Night Class student._

"Am I famous among the Night Class or something? Because I don't recall introducing myself to you," I said rudely.

"Yes, and even without the introduction I know who you are just by how you act," he replied, "You're exactly how he describes you."

"Who describes me?"

"My name is Akatsuki Kain, I'm your Mr. Bunny's cousin."

"Oh…you know the nickname too." When he had said his nickname, a panicked feeling entered my stomach. Butterflies, I think. Or maybe knots. Either way, I wanted to puke. Wait a minute, did he say _my_ Mr. Bunny?

"He complains…_a lot_."

I chuckled, loving the fact that I vex him so much.

"I'm glad you've improved your Japanese. The English language is not my forte, but take me on French or Spanish any day," he said with a smile. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot," I said. "I was beginning to wonder what the hell you wanted anyway."

"Why do you treat him like that?"

"I don't follow…"

"I have observed your behavior for a while now. When you're with him, you do nothing but mock him and poke fun at his ego, which sometimes does need to be inflated, however! That's not the point…what I mean to say is…why do you act as if you don't want him around? And yet want his attention at the same time?"

"That's really none of your business," I said coldly. "What goes on between me and the idiot-"

"Actually it is my business," he cut me off, "you see I have to live with him and his lovely mood swings."

"Just because Mr. Bunny is pregnant doesn't mean I'm to blame!"

"He always talks about you!"

"That's because I'm the friggin' scapegoat! Why don't you talk to his fan girls for a real story?" I hissed and turned around to leave, but Kain suddenly had a tight grip on my wrist.

I froze, feeling outraged to having to say these words again, "Let go of me!"

"You're both so stubborn!" he chuckled, ignoring me. "Can't you see he cares?"

"If you don't let go of me, I will shove my foot up your ass!"

Kain immediately released me. Not because he wanted to or because I had demanded it, but because Mr. Bunny had sneaked up on us and was standing a few centimeters away. He had been watching. He had been listening.

And he didn't look too happy either.

* * *

I'm keeping in mind that Aidou is still a vampire (-sweat drops-). And I've just remembered the vampires tend to be seductive, manipulative and possessive.

Aidou was definitely possessive in this one. What can I say? She's his territory and he feels threatened.

Zero, as I've noticed, provokes her immature side. A lot. I think it's because he acts too much like a depressed adult that needs someone with a childish side (-coughs- Yuuki).

And yes, her religious views are mine and you don't have to agree with them. I'm an open minded person, and honestly, I believe if I met God in person we'd debate lol. I also like to hear different points of views.

Now I have a question, and it contains a spoiler so don't read this.

If Rido was Kaname's uncle and so on, and Shiki is their (yuuki and kaname) cousin...then doesn't that make Shiki a pureplood? -blinks-

By the way, in case any one wonders why I have this chapter up already, I have had _visions_ about this one. So this came easy. :D Enjoy


	12. My blood runs

* * *

Chapter twelve: My blood runs

I stared at the two boys, glancing back and forth. No one spoke. We just stared at each other awkwardly. Mr. Bunny's eyes were fuming with all of its oceanic glory. Kain had a guilty look on his face and would sometimes stare at the ground, absolutely ashamed (for meddling, I guess).

"Uh...well..." I wasn't sure of what the hell I should do and continued to stare at the two of them before waving at them. "See ya!"

I quickly darted into the Sun dorm, giving neither of the boys the opportunity to speak. I closed the doors of the dorms with a thud and marched to my room with new, nervous energy. I reached my door and swung it open and closed it.

"You should be more careful, Fontana," Kaede's voice made me jump back in surprise. She was seated on the edge of the massive window. "And keep your windows closed."

"What are you doing in the Sun dorms? What are you doing _in my room_?" I snapped, a part of me hoping that Kiren wasn't in the room or she'd be in danger. She immediately grabbed me by the strands of my hair to pull me closer to her and we stood alarmingly close.

Yellow green eyes staring menacingly into my outraged eyes.

"What do you want?" I hissed, my hands clutching her shoulders firmly to balance myself.

"As rude as ever I see," she chuckled, playfully tugging my hair up and down. "Lets go outside."

Using my hair, she pulled me outside the window and I thought for sure those two idiots would still be out there but they weren't.

My fucking luck.

She exhaled, rolling her neck.

"You didn't answer my question," I growled, wondering how the hell did she manage to get me on the ground from my window.

Her eyes flickered and I could have sworn I saw red, but before I could respond a pink blur moved and all of the sudden I was on the ground with her hovering over me.

She had my arms pinned above me.

"What the hell Kaede! Do you want to rape me or something?" I shouted, squirming underneath her.

"No, I have a message for you," she stated coldly.

"And what? You couldn't tell me from where you were standing?"

"You're rude when you're in no position to be rude Fontana so listen closely," she snarled.

I stopped squirming, breathing loudly through my nose. "Well?"

"Your mother is Fontana Chiara, is it not?"

My body stiffened. "What about her?"

"She has been taken."

"Taken? What the fuck do you mean by 'taken'?" I yelled.

She grinned menacingly at me, fangs exposed. "Kidnapped, you idiot."

With those words the barrier that kept my violent temper in check cracked again. I viciously bucked her off of me, rolling her over and I brutally pounded my right fist against her throat, cutting off her air supply. She began to wheeze; both of her hands reaching to hold her throat but I whacked them away and tightly wrapped my right hand around her throat.

"Where is she?" I roared.

Kaede giggled in between her coughs and wheezes, and I shook her violently. "I ASKED WHERE IS-"

She kicked me, causing me to fly off of her and I crashed into a tree. I hit my head against a thick branch and when I slid to the ground, I noticed my vision had become blurry.

"You'll see her soon." I heard her cackle before everything went black.

* * *

I don't remember how I got here. I don't know where I am.

All I do know is that there are four people in this cell-like room, including myself.

There were chains wrapped around me, forcing me to kneel because of their weight. My wrists were sore from the metal clinging to my skin.

There was a man with maroon shaded hair standing in the corner of the room with his arms crossed, covered in shadows so I could only see his white grin and sharp fangs, and glowing red eyes. The second person, another male, had white hair. In fact, I've seen him before. He obviously went to my school because of the white uniform.

I was more afraid of the maroon haired man than the white one. He was sadistic and enjoyed psychological mind games. I think that's why my head is so screwed up right now. He somehow managed to convince me earlier that he had raped my mother when she was younger and I was his child. I don't remember much after that. I think I blacked out and took my rage out on the white haired male since he had been closer to me. When my vision returned, the white haired guy was on the floor with a lot of broken bones and bruises.

Shame, at least he had a sense of humor.

The third person in the room was Kaede. She had been the first to attack me, dragging me by my hair across the whole floor until she chained me.

A fist pounded into my left cheek and struck me again—this time hitting me hard enough for my vision to temporarily black out. I was lying on a polished, clean marble floor, or it was until my blood was spilled onto it. Someone strong behind me picked me up from my waist and brutally threw me against the wall, my head smashed against the wall behind me, causing me to yelp.

"YOU WILL TALK!" Kaede screamed, having been the one who threw me. The white haired student next to her had been the one who did most of the hitting. She had been interrogating me for answers. She wanted to know where I was born, what abilities I had if I had any and where I was currently residing.

I didn't tell her anything. I _couldn't_ tell her anything even if I wanted to. I was practically choking on blood. My blood.

"Where is your fucking mother hiding, you wench!" she screeched, her voice becoming hoarse from all the screaming she did hours before. She kicked my stomach and the wind was knocked out of me. I lied on my side, curling into fetal position to keep her away from me. Inwardly I snorted, giving myself props for knowing from the beginning that the pink haired freak was going to be trouble.

"Hoshi! Make sure you get an answer from her!" Kaede shouted at the white haired student, who looked healed for the most part. How the fuck did he do that?

Kaede must have finally gotten tired of seeing my ugly, bruised face. Even though she had told him to get an answer from me, I knew he was going to beat me to death just because he wanted to and didn't care if he got an answer or not. Pay back is a bitch, ya know?

So when she had stormed out of the room and he had given me a maniacal grin, I prepared myself for the worst.

* * *

_Wake up Serena._

It took me a while to have the strength to open my eyes because it hurt. It hurt to breathe and it hurt to move. My eyes were swollen but I could see. The earth under my hands was familiar, the reek of death was familiar, and the silent sound was familiar.

I was in my grave, but not in my dreams. I was lying on my back, looking up to see trees looming above me, on the edges of the grave.

I knew it was night. The crescent moon was hiding behind the trees and there were faint stars in the sky. I tried to sit up, taking ten minutes just to lift my head and deeply regretted it.

There were four bloodied and mud caked bodies slumped against the mud wall, their clothes were tattered and three were missing a head. I gulped as I quickly and sorely scrambled up and knocked into a mud wall behind me. I gawked at the four bodies before realizing that I knew them and slowly crawled on my knees and elbows to get a better look.

I vomited and cried at the same time. Trust me, it doesn't feel good when you vomit and cry at the same time because at some point of time vomit comes out of your nose.

The bodies belonged to the Erica and her family. Her parents were lying in pieces—arms and legs barely attached to their bodies, and I found their heads together a few inches away. Their eyes had rolled up to their forehead and their mouths were opened, making them look like they were screaming.

Anthony, on the other hand, had his head still attached and his neck supported various red fang marks. I assumed he was drained dry because he had sunken skin and countless deep wrinkles; he had the perfect appearance of a zombie. Erica's head was underneath her right arm, and she was holding it like a basketball. Her face was covered in deep scratches that were probably caused by long, sharp fingernails and the only thing I could see through all the blood on her face were her opened, dull and hopeless blue eyes.

The moment I saw her eyes I vomited.

Her body had a fist-sized hole in it where her murderers had removed her liver. I backed away and my hand brushed past something fleshy. I glanced down to see a patch of skin with a black, crouching panther tattoo.

_Jade's... tattoo. Jade was here too?_

I scanned the area, finding no other body but there was so much blood. The crimson liquid mingled with the earth on the ground and was splattered all over the walls of the grave.

"Bastards," I cried, whimpering and curling on the ground. "YOU FUCKING BASTARDS!"

And I realized why my body hurt so much. I had a twisted ankle and when I felt my neck I noticed four new holes. Someone had bitten me twice. I lost my vision then. Fear and panic seized me, tightly gripping my lungs and it made it even harder to breathe. My breaths came in raggedly, and my body trembled with both heat and cold, my head felt heavy and yet lighter.

Everything was becoming fuzzy and I was in the eye of a tornado, things were moving too quickly—whirling and spinning.

I wanted to vomit again. I wanted—_needed_—to get rid of the sick feeling in my stomach.

"Fontana." A demonic sounding voice said my name.

My head snapped up to see three tall blobs standing a few centimeters away from me. One was black, one was silver and one was white.

I was losing it.

I was instantly on my feet, moving backwards to get away from them but there was no exit. No way out unless I was going to climb and I didn't have the time to climb out.

"Fontana it's okay, we're here to get you out."

_To fucking hell you are._

I was an animal pushed to their limits and death was threatening me, taunting me. I may be next or I might not be.

I was now running on only survival instincts and I had no intention of dying. Erica had always told me that if I was going to die one day, make sure I wasn't a coward in the end and that I had fought my damn hardest. Judging by the appearance of this hellhole, she had done just that. She fought her hardest to survive, but the person who killed her had been stronger than her.

Ignoring the agonizing pain in my body, I sprinted and tackled the black blob with the remaining strength I had left and heard the white blob yell. I yelped in pain, sliding down its body and felt around.

No, I wasn't being perverted but normally if someone comes to kill you, they would have a weapon and bingo! I found something cold and metal in the blob's clothing.

"Serena! Don't!" the white blob shouted in English. I winced from the volume and because it sounded familiar, but I couldn't place where I had heard the voice before. My mind was in a chaotic mess and I couldn't make sense of anything anymore.

The black blob advanced towards me and I removed the safety of the gun. It's funny how people underestimate me because they think I'm stupid. It's not that hard to figure out a gun.

I fired twice, not sure of whom I shot because I couldn't see and I couldn't aim. I groaned in pain, the force of the gun firing had caused my shoulder to go out of whack. The white blob slumped forward, clutching a part of his upper body I think. The silver blob was above me now but before it could hit me, the non-existing, invisible rug beneath me was yanked and I fell face first into the mud.

* * *

I was on a concrete floor of a playground, lying on my back so I could see the cloudy sky and I felt the sun's warmth on my skin, which felt good. It seemed like it had been decades since I felt something warm. I could tell I was at a playground because of the sound of children playing and giggling and their feet were stomping as they climbed on top of the slides.

He was sitting across from me on a wooden bench, swinging his legs playfully and he grinned at me when he noticed me watching.

"Am I dead?" I bluntly questioned the kid, slowly sitting up. "Is this my Heaven?"

It looked a lot like the playground back at home, where I had been first bitten.

_Where I had been bitten._

My hands touched my neck and I felt the tender, swollen areas where the bite marks infected my skin. I winced, not remembering when or who bit me.

He shook his head, his flaming red hair swaying. "I led him."

"Led who…to where?" I inquired confusedly.

"Mr. Bunny. I made him have a memory. It led him to you," he grinned, swinging his legs more vigorously. "He saved you."

"You know Mr. Bunny?" My eyes opened wildly.

He shook his head. "No, but you do. So I watch him."

"You watch…?" I was a little freaked out that a kid stalked me. A dead kid to boot.

He nodded, staring at the other kids playing. I followed his gaze and wondered out loud. "Are they dead too?"

He nodded his head again.

"How did they die?" I asked, not bothering to hide my sadness. Death was already hard to accept as an adult, but for a child? And I've always felt more depressed when a child died since most adults that die have lived their lives, but children…they had so much more to do, to experience.

"I can't tell you," he said.

I stared at the kid this time, studying him. He freakishly reminded me of Mom. Only he was obviously a boy and a lot younger.

"Who are you? Why do you talk to me? Why do you help me?"

He giggled. "You'll see."

* * *

I woke up three times, lying on something warm and soft and comfortable. The first time I woke up I had rolled my head to my right, feeling something warm on that side and opened my eyes to find a window that was allowing sunlight to come in. I also noticed a person, the Japanese man I saw in the States, was diagnosing my wounds. I whacked his hands away, paranoid of what he had been doing while I was asleep and not trusting of what he might do while I was awake.

"You," I growled in an angry tone. "You mother fuc-"

"You're awake," he grunted, interrupting me before I could finish my cursing.

I sat up too quickly and groaned when all the blood rushed to my head. I puked in the iron gray bucket beside me.

"Feel better?"

I nodded and saw a pale hand put a glass of water in front of me. I looked up to see Zero also standing next to my bed.

"Zero?" My voice didn't even sound like it belonged to me. It was rough, dry and manly like. I wheezed and forced myself to lie back down. It still hurt to move.

"You have two broken fingers, four broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a twisted ankle. You're being bed ridden by the Headmaster for six weeks until further notice," the man informed me, his voice void of any emotion.

_Shit that's a long time._

"I've been bitten," I rasped, my hand massaged the once again swollen area. "What happened to me?"

"You went missing for five days. Kiren went back to the Headmaster when she realized you weren't in the room and the window was broken," Zero sighed.

"Aidou is not exactly someone you would want to be around when he's pissed," the man suddenly told me. "I had a hard time keeping him from killing the student we captured."

"Student you captured?"

"Long story that I won't tell you about. You'll have to hear about it from someone else."

"Aidou knew where you were," Zero stated, changing the topic because he knew that I was going to ask him next.

"How?"

"He had a dream of where you were located. Then he remembered that there's an area where the Council of Ancients used to assemble in the past, and it had a lake and a dock. We found you there."

"Council of Ancients? And who's we?"

"My sensei and I, and along with Aidou, found you." Zero shifted in his seat. "It was only supposed to be me and my sensei, but he insisted on coming."

"I…shot someone," I said, not really sure that I did. My memory was blurry. "And…the Council of Ancients. What the hell is that?"

"It was Aidou that you shot."

"Oh shit," I wailed, burying my face into my hands. That turned out to be a bad idea. My hands hurt like hell and so did my face.

"He's fine. You got him in the shoulder."

"And…the bodies?" I whispered, now having a visual of the four bodies I had discovered.

"Have been given a proper burial."

"And…Jade?" I felt tears coming but I forced myself to fight them. I refuse to cry in front of two men. Nope. Not gonna happen. Not in a million years.

"Who's Jade?"

"Never mind." I wasn't sure if I should be happy or upset that his body wasn't found, so my stomach chose for me and I threw up again.

"For someone who hasn't eaten anything in the last ten days, you vomit a lot," Zero frowned in disgust and moved away to avoid the odor.

"It's just water now."

I laid my head on the pillow and closed my eyes.

When I reopened them it was late evening and I saw Kiren moving things around. I wanted to say something but I couldn't find my voice and I didn't have any energy left in me. I fell asleep again. The third time I woke up it was dark but I could see everything because of the moonlight. There were stuffed animals, purple and red oval balloons next to the window that said get well soon and happy birthday--hang on, happy birthday?

"Hey." Mr. Bunny was in my line of vision now.

He looked completely disheveled. His hair, well actually, that was normal. His hair was never tamed, but his eyes looked haunted and tired. He wasn't wearing his school uniform, which caused me to stare at him all the more because I have never seen him wear anything but a school uniform. He was wearing a red dress shirt with a few undone buttons at the top, exposing his neck and collarbone, and khaki jeans.

I had a urge to lick him.

"You need to eat something," he said softly and brought me a bowl of soup…or at least it looked like soup.

My stomach furiously growled at me and I felt myself blush. Okay, so maybe that's why I wanted to lick him. I was starving!

Yet when I looked at him and smiled, I couldn't help but say, "You look good in red."

I have no idea what possessed me to say that, but I did and it gave his cheeks some color. He was looking too pale for my tastes anyway. My tastes? _Tastes_? What the hell is going on here?

"You should wear it more often." I needed to shut up! Hmmm…well, maybe he shouldn't. His shirt made him look paler. Maybe he should wear green or blue instead. Why do I care?

Why do I feel so loopy?

I glanced at the table to my right and noticed all the pain medication I was given while I was asleep. Oh. Well, that could be why!

"I think…it's the medicine," he chuckled. "Now eat. The prefect said you like this when he made you try it."

I smiled bigger when I realized Zero had made me the beef and vegetable soup that he, indeed, made me try when we went out shopping, however, I had a hard time using the chopsticks.

Mr. Bunny sighed. "You're pathetic."

"You try eating with chopsticks with a dislocated shoulder and broken fingers, you fag," I snapped, suddenly becoming alarmed because he was sitting so close to me. He took the chopsticks from me and looked at them for a few seconds before he started to feed me.

It was the_ **most**_ _awkward_ moment in my _life._

The first time he tried to put the chopsticks to my mouth, I refused to open and shook my head to avoid the utensils, but then he gently probed my mouth and I let him feed me out of surprise.

He was treating me so gently, as if I was a broken, glass doll that would slip through his fingers.

"Kiren told me it was your birthday," he said to break the silence, avoiding my eyes.

"What day is it?" I asked curiously.

"It's September twentieth. You went missing September eleven and you were found September fifteenth," he told me, tensing when he said the word missing and he shifted in his seat.

"My birthday is September seventeenth," I said after swallowing.

"You were unconscious."

"So did she bring in all of these?" I questioned, gesturing to the balloons and flowers and stuffed animals.

"Some," he smiled gently.

"You did too?"

He nodded and a part of me melted.

"They told me you were the one that found me."

"I did," he confirmed.

"How?" I asked.

He sighed, pausing with the chopsticks in the bowl. "I had a dream that a red haired boy was leading me to a lake, and the area felt familiar. Then I realized I had been there before. My grandfather used to take me there when he had his meetings when I was younger."

"You followed the red head kid?" I asked, remembering my dream where the kid told me that he had found me because he led Mr. Bunny to me. And it dawned on me that no one had answered my previous question.

"What is the Council of Ancients?"

He visibly winced and avoided my eyes, dropping the chopsticks into the bowl.

"Aidou?" I said his name quietly.

"It's Hanabusa," he corrected me again.

"Answer the question…please?" I urged him gently.

He sighed, running his free hand through his hair. The ocean in his eyes became more watery than usual and I suspected shame was stirring in those hues.

"It's an old committee of the eldest vampires."

"Vampires? _Vampires_? Are you toying with me?" I growled lowly, not appreciating the fact that he would choose this time to play with my mind.

"No, I'm not. They've bitten you twice," he glared at me. Though I don't think he was angry with me, but at them.

My hands flew up to my sore neck and I felt two bite marks.

"Kaede kidnapped you with her party. She's missing now, but we've managed to capture one. You remember the white haired student? The one that shoved you in the hallway?"

"Who could forget?" I said, remembering how he had kicked and punched the living hell out of me.

"He's working with her. His name is Hoshi Nunki."

"I don't understand why Kaede would want me. In fact, why would vampires, if they really exist, want me of all people?"

Aidou placed the bowl on the table next to me and was suddenly inches from my face. "What more proof do you need?"

Heat rushed to my face and I shook my head and shrugged, not knowing how to respond. He sighed again; looking like he was contemplating on something, and slowly opened his mouth to reveal his white fangs. My body stiffened, my breath caught in my throat and I could hear my heart fluttering in my ears. I involuntarily and instantly scooted away from him. Part of me feared that he would bite and I was already sore. The other part of me wondered why hadn't I turned into a vampire already.

"You're afraid of me," he stated, but it sounded more like a question. He backed away from me and frowned as if he disgusted himself. "Tell me the truth."

"You're a vampire?" I whispered, shocked and ignored his inquiry.

He glared at me. "Well, duh."

"No wonder you laughed at all of my death threats!"

"SERENA! TAKE ME SERIOUSLY FOR ONCE!" he shouted, becoming furious and extremely red in the face.

I reached out to calm him, realizing that he wanted me to be serious because he didn't know if I accepted him, so I gently caressed his face and that caused an immediate awkward silence.

He had frozen when my fingers touched his cheek.

"Sorry, making jokes is… kinda how I deal with things…especially when I don't really know how to deal with it," I muttered, surprised at myself for revealing a part of me. "Err…go on though. You still haven't answered my question."

At first he didn't say anything. He just stared and I couldn't read his face because there were too many things flickering in his eyes, but then he cleared his throat and leaned back into his chair.

"The Council of Ancients have a lot of members who are from the Bokyo clan," he explained and he cut me off before I said that it still didn't make sense. "You're caught in the middle of a family feud."

"I…am still so lost…the only family that I know of is my mother. Who else is there? I can't really fight with Mom...though we have our moments."

"Not what I meant," he sighed, rubbing his temples as if he was annoyed with my ignorance, which he probably was. "Um…do you remember when you asked me why I didn't call you over the summer and I told you I had been busy? I have been studying your family since I discovered you were a vampire hunter."

"I'm a vampire hunter?" I asked him, perplexed.

"Yes."

"But I've never killed a vampire before..."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," he sarcastically muttered under his breath.

"Huh?"

"I meant that you come from a family of vampire hunters and you have their scent."

"And how long have you known that I was a vampire hunter?" I questioned, feeling peeved that he had known something about me and didn't bother to share.

"When you cut yourself that one day and I lent you my handkerchief. Vampire hunters normally have sweet scented blood to allure vampires…easier to track and kill," he enlightened me. "But I wasn't sure so I discussed it with the prefect and he didn't know of a family of vampire hunters with the last name of Fontana. So I dug deeper during the summer."

"And why haven't you told me this?"

"I just did."

"I meant when you discovered it."

"I knew you wouldn't believe me."

"Yes I would have," I argued.

"No, you _wouldn't_ have. You didn't even believe in vampires until I showed you my fangs."

"You're a vampire?" I asked and faked a gasp, purposely to piss him off.

_I love teasing him. It makes me feel at home._

He shot me a very sinister, dark glare. "_Don't _push me, Serena."

"Okay, just tell me what else you found out," I sighed, suddenly feeling tired.

"Your mother's blood line traces back to three centuries ago, but the family name was Heolstor, an old vampire family consisting of nobles. They were, however, trying to spread their idea of pacifism and actually went as far as mating with humans to prove their point," he enlightened me, eyes brightening with knowledge. I wanted to poke him so he could stop sounding so fascinated with the whole thing. "Though that doesn't mean they weren't vicious when they needed to be."

"What do you mean?" I asked, envious that he managed to find so much information about my family when I was clueless. I should have a right to see these files!

"Bokyo Kaede has beef with you it seems," he said, "your family assassinated a lot of her relatives when her clan attacked the human companions in your clan centuries ago."

"Oh Jesus Christmas," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. Maybe it's best _not_ to know my family.

"That's on your mother's side anyway. Your father is a former vampire hunter, which means he has loads of enemies," he interrupted my thoughts.

I blinked, momentarily forgetting that we were talking about my family and its history, and about vampires who either wanted me dead or out of their way, to admire his accent when he spoke to me in English. It sounded so...NOT GOING THERE! _FUCKING MEDICINE_! WHAT THE HELL DO THEY HAVE ME ON?

"Where are you getting all of this information? And don't you mean he _was_ a former vampire hunter? And, curiously, is there a chance that I could be a vampire?" I cleared my throat, hoping it would get me back on track and I glared at the table beside me where the medicine containers were. I wanted to make sure everything I was given was legal. I sighed in relief when I didn't see a mysterious potion or something labeled 'Cupid's Cure for the Unwilling!'

"You're not a vampire. There's too much human blood in you for you to be a vampire."

"And my father?" I asked, annoyed. People seem to be avoiding my questions a lot today.

"He's not dead Serena."

My whole body twitched and I could feel my lips curl into a snarl. He was alive--the fucking bastard left us and he was still _alive_!

"Twice a noble vampire has bitten you and a bit of your vampire instincts have been awakened, which is why your senses are agitated right now," he said, changing topic before I could go off on a verbal killing spree.

"My senses?" I questioned stupidly.

"Your nose probably feels like it's been violated with all the smells, your taste buds will be going crazy later on, your vision and hearing will improve dramatically. I wouldn't touch anything unless it was soft for the next few hours until you get used to it."

"Hang on, you said I was too human to be a vampire, so what's with all these changes?" I questioned him confusedly. I wasn't about to grow fangs too, was I?

"You were bitten, and although only purebloods can turn a human into a vampire—you _already_ have a little vampire blood in you. It's an extremely small portion, but…well, you didn't think it wouldn't affect you at all, did you?"

"Does that mean I'll be chasing after people for their blood anytime soon?" I asked, worried about Kiren.

"No. Your senses will just improve. That's all. Nothing else will change."

"Awww, I don't get any super powers?" I joked, but I was actually hoping I would. I mean wouldn't it be cool if I could set something on fire? Sure would be!

"Absolutely none."

"Damn. Take all the fun out of it," I pouted.

"Not my rules." He put up his hands apathetically.

"So…why are they after me again?"

He eyed me annoyingly. "You're very slow sometimes, you know?"

"You're saying this to the person who shot you, which by the way, how is your shoulder?"

"I healed perfectly. Even though you did shoot me with anti-vampire magic."

"What does that mean?"

"The gun you shot me with is called a Bloody Rose," he twitched, looking as if he didn't really want to tell me because I might try to use it on him. "It was created to shoot down vampires, specifically Level E. They're the only guns that work on vampires."

"Oh, then that must have hurt," I said, feeling guilty.

"No, I'm fine," he replied too quickly.

"Liar."

"I am not lying."

"You are too!" I argued, sounding childish.

"Prove it!" He smirked.

"You're favoring your stupid shoulder right now, you fag! It still hurts, doesn't it!"

He paused, opened his mouth and then quickly shut it. He shrugged it off with a small smile, and I knew he was doing that so he looked cool. The arrogant, macho asshole.

"And what do you mean by Level E? And a pureblood?" I changed topic since I knew he wasn't going to admit he was still in pain.

_Pride is man's favorite sin._

"That's a longer, more complex explanation that I am not in position to tell you," Aidou replied, looking very serious. "You'll have to wait for someone else to do that for you."

I frowned, wondering if he was talking to me because he was my friend or because this was a chore and no one else wanted to do it.

"Okay, so back to why the council of old people are after me."

"The Council of Ancients," he corrected me, "wants you out of the way because you're an abomination. A child from a well-known vampire clan and of human blood. They don't approve of such abominations and don't approve of the idea of pacifism, which is something your parents stand for. They also don't want a potential vampire hunter on their hands."

"That's confusing. I thought this was just because of the bloody family feud?"

"Vampires have many motives and most, if not all, of them wouldn't collaborate with another vampire unless there's something in it for them. You should know, you act just like them."

"I do? How so?"

"You're annoying, you're sneaky, you're manipulative, you attack other people with no reason-"

"Are we talking about Mr. High-and-Mighty here? I thought we went over that. And how the hell am I manipulative?"

"I told you! You order Kiren around like she's your slave!"

"I do not!"

"_Yes,_ you do!"

"You know what? Drop the subject. Or we'll be here for the rest of our lives."

"You wanted me to list off why you were like a vampire," he shrugged stubbornly.

"So, like I said, they think that I will try for world peace and yet kill them at the same time? Well, that's very hypocritical of me, isn't it?" I chuckled, changing the topic before he could start it up again.

"They don't know what you are capable of or what you want to do once you learn of your blood line," he replied, vexed but still trying to keep his temper in check.

"Well shit, none of it! I want nothing to do with vampires and the whole bit!" I snapped, forgetting he was a vampire and I immediately noticed his sour face.

"Well, since you made that _clear_, I'll take my leave then." He stood up with his eyes closed, slightly showing the tips of his fangs.

"Oh come off it, Hanabusa, you knew what I meant."

But he ignored me and turned around to leave.

"Well you know what! Fine! I hate you!" I shouted, furious. "What about Erica, huh? And her family? Why the hell were they killed? They were fucking innocent people and your kind killed them! Where's the justice in that?"

"They were killed after their interrogation. Apparently the Council wanted the whereabouts of your mother. Your mother's location has been a secret for years, Serena, but after they discovered you were attending this school…they figured they could follow you," he answered stiffly and when he reopened his eyes, he was glaring venomously at me.

A knock sounded on the door and Zero slowly opened the door. "Your mother is coming to Japan, Fontana."

"What?" I asked in shock.

Mr. Bunny, with one hand in his pocket, walked out of my room without saying another word to me. He didn't have to, I could feel his anger radiating off his body. He slammed the door shut behind him.

"She'll be here soon," Zero informed me, ignoring the vampire that just left. "Glad to see that your health condition has somewhat improved."

I smirked. "Probably the medicine, right? How much crap do you have me on?"

"Truthfully, it's not all medication. Aidou offered his blood to increase your chances of survival since he was already bleeding from the bullet wound. You nearly died from shock and the pain."

I stared at him and nearly shrieked, "You mean to say I drank vampire blood in my sleep?"

How ironic. I just pissed off my savior.

"No, we gave to you," he answered, holding up a needle.

"Isn't that unethical?" I squeaked.

Zero frowned. "It's taboo, actually, but he's a stubborn idiot. He wanted you to survive. Vampire blood speeds up the human healing process."

"And the Headmaster _agreed_? Does he even know he has a vampire student? Wait, how do _you_ know about vampires? Aidou said he went to you to ask about my family," I questioned, glaring at him suspiciously.

"Yes he agreed, and there's a long story behind that, which we'll talk about another time," he responded calmly.

"And how do you know about vampires?" I repeated, becoming angry.

"I come from a family of vampire hunters. Leave it at that," he glared.

I don't know how long we glared at each other, but it was probably around ten to fifteen minutes. I glared because I hate it when people keep shit from me and he glared because...well I'm guessing because he didn't feel like talking about his past. Judging by the anger and turmoil in his eyes, it probably wasn't all rainbows and sunshine.

"Fine. But you'll probably end up telling me one day," I told him, crossing my arms and he gave me a stern glare that said 'Absolutely not'.

If there's one thing I know about people it's that we're never simple. We're all like spiders, weaving our lives and making things more complicated with our webs. And sometimes the rain beats us.

_The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout_

_Down came the rain and washed the spider out..._

_Yup. We're all like drowning spiders._

_Now if only some of us had the guts to climb again...life would be great._

* * *

Serena will never be a vampire. I prefer my OC as a human.

I thank everyone who answered my Shiki question! I've been trying to comprehend all the vampires in the manga but Shiki (that's his first name, right?) makes me think the most so far. This chapter took me forever to write because I have what I call a brain collision. It's like a brain fart, but instead of going blank, I think too much and then I can't decide on what to do because I have too many ideas...

Yup, so enjoy!


	13. Heaven on ice

Chapter Thirteen: Heaven on ice

It became oddly quiet in the room and I started to examine all of the stuffed animals that were placed around me. When my eyes landed on the birthday stuff, I sighed, knowing that Mr. Bunny's gift was probably somewhere among them.

"You really shouldn't say what you don't mean." Zero broke the silence.

"What are you talking about?"

He stared, his face becoming indifferent. "Never mind. It's none of my business."

"No, you brought it up, now talk."

"I spoke to your mother on the phone." A tiny, molecule-sized smile played on his lips as he changed topic. "They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Why were you the one who spoke to her?" I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Isn't that the Headmaster's job? Or do prefects do that too?"

He shrugged. "Chairman Cross didn't seem to want to talk, so he gave me the phone."

"Apples don't fall far from the tree, eh? What do they say about the walnut then?" I asked, feeling myself calm down.

"Are you admitting to the fact that you're crazy?"

"And are you actually making a joke? Holy cow! I didn't think that was possible!"

"Or you could be inventing the idea that I'm joking, and that would mean that you _are_ crazy."

"You're saying that in my little insane world, I fantasize about you? That's wrong. That's really wrong. That's worse than me and Mr. Bunny."

"You fantasize about him?" he quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Don't take my words and twist them."

"But do you?" he asked me with a mocking, serious tone of voice.

"Did you take some of my medicine? I'm the only one meant to be on morphine you emo brat."

I could have sworn I heard him chuckle, but that could have been the medication too. They should put me on meds more often.

"So…Mom's coming? How soon will she be here?"

"Faster than you think," he told me, about to walk out of my room.

"How fast?" I asked him impatiently. He didn't answer me as he closed the door behind him and I was left to my thoughts, devouring and overanalyzing all the information I was given.

_Damn it_.

* * *

Rain poured down from the clouds as if the higher powers in Heaven were upset with the Earth and attempted to wash away the corruption. The harsh wind forced the rain to pour in one direction, carrying away the chaotic mess of the world.

I watched Erica dance in the middle of a black polished road, absolutely drenched from the downpour but she was enjoying it anyway. She danced with no grace and no balance, only with a happy, grinning face while she tasted the sweetness of freedom. When she moved her sneakers left a trail of bubbles behind her, sprouting like small mushrooms.

Erica was the dancer, and whenever I watched her dance in the rain, it was like I was cleansing my soul too.

"Serena! Sing for me!" she shouted over the thundering voice of the violet hued clouds.

"Now?" I asked, wondering what were the chances of being electrocuted.

"Yea! Come on! Please!"

I smiled, thinking of a song her mother taught me and began humming it. I was no Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey, but I could carry a tune without making cars crash into each other.

We had many roles in our friendship.

She was the dreamer, broken from her parents' separation and she would only show her vulnerabilities by taking out her bitterness on me.

I was the rational one, the vent she needed to release her emotions and while it always hurt to be kicked and punched and thrown everywhere…we both knew I could handle it, as long she was okay.

In this case, while in the storm, our roles were simple. She was the drunken ballerina. I was the astounding singer. The storm was the stage and the world was our audience. It was only during thunderstorms or hurricanes that we forgot about our lives and acted our age.

We were innocent children that played in the rain.

"I can't hear you Serena! Sing! Not hum!" she demanded with a grin as she spun, arms swinging around her.

"_This leaves the light against me._

_Green moon you are my accomplice_

_Now that I have the courage to leave you_

_It's fog in the mouth of the Gods_

_I believe in universal love_

_I believe without eyes to see!_

_I believe the world goes on!  
_

_Listening from here on top of the sky_

_Silence now that we don't talk anymore_

_Passes the vision that I have_

_Of life, who has everything and who does not."_

"Louder! The thunder is blocking you out!" she yelled, giggling.

I did as I was told, forcing my voice to become louder with every word.

"_I believe in universal love_

_I believe without eyes to see_

_I believe the world moves on!_

_Injuries to the heart, rivers and ocean_

_Flowers of stone, fire of our souls!_

_I believe the world will be reborn!_

_I believe the world will move on!"_

As I sang this song, I remembered the people who judged us for our actions, calling us delinquents. Couldn't they understand that we were hiding behind masks to hide our hurt?

I felt bitter all of the sudden. I wanted to scream at the people who judged us.

We weren't bitches. We weren't snobs. Our thoughts were random and childish sometimes, so they believed they could label us naïve. At times we scared off other people with our bad tempers, but we knew when to be silly and outrageously insane. We can also smile to hide our doubts and frustrations. We hide our tears when we feel like we've failed.

We despised being around other people because they were assholes. They competed for attention, sometimes backstabbing their supposedly best friends and did anything to fit in with their peers.

Erica and I weren't like that. We told each other that we would rather be by ourselves, lonely, than with bad company. Maybe that's why we unnerved people. We didn't care about attention. We didn't care about acceptance. Not as long as we had each other.

We also didn't understand their need to feel superior. After all, we all meet Death in the end.

We just wanted to live our lives to the best of our abilities. Why wasn't that good enough for anyone?

"You sing beautifully Serena," a childish voice whispered in my ear. The images of Erica disappeared into a swirling tornado and when everything stopped spinning, I found myself staring at the red haired boy.

"You know, you're really starting to freak me out," I mumbled to him. After seeing Erica's younger face, healthy and without the horror, I felt anger eat my heart.

"What do you want now? What was the purpose of seeing those memories?" I snapped at him.

She's gone. My best friend is gone.

_Fucking hell._

I nervously chewed on my lip, biting hard enough to make it bleed because it was the only way I could stop myself from crying.

She shouldn't be gone. I should be the one gone.

"Because the world will be reborn."

I shot him a furious glare, tired of his mind games that got me nowhere. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

He smiled gently, ignoring my glare. "The world will be reborn."

"Yea, okay, whatever."

_I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't fucking be here._

"Serena," he said softly, interrupting my thoughts. "Sing for them."

I angrily spun on him. "To who? Who are you talking about? Will you try to make some fucking sense for once!"

"For the ones lost in darkness. For the broken. Lead them home."

I threw my hands up in the air, more than a little frustrated with him. "Who do you take me for? Jesus?"

He never answered me. I woke up.

* * *

I didn't want to be awake. I didn't even want to be alive.

The pain was unbearable. My face ached from all the abuse it took, and my chest felt ready to explode with rampant fires any second now. I didn't bother trying to move my shoulder or my fingers, knowing if I did I would regret it.

Where the hell was my medicine?

I wanted to cry. I _needed_ to cry. Out of pain. Out of loss. She shouldn't be the one in the grave.

I was going to fucking _slaughter_ Kaede!

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to regulate my breathing but I couldn't. I was choking on saliva and on the tears that wanted to come out. I was being suffocated even though there was no body in the room but me. I couldn't breathe!

And _why_ was it so fucking hot?

_Vampires are real. They want me dead. My best friend is dead. Her whole fucking family is dead. Gone. They're all gone. And I don't even know where Jade is. I don't know if he's dead or if he's alive or if he's injured. Well no, he's obviously injured. I found his tattoo detached from his body._

_And Aidou is pissed as hell at me. Has every right to be...God, I actually shot him. He's injured...injured...gave me his blood. What if he's actually dying too? Could vampires die of blood loss?_

_My fault. All my fault._

My skin was prickly with Goosebumps and yet I was burning! My body was moving on its own, as if trying to avoid a physical attack. I was thrashing about, cringing in pain because of the movement, causing some of the wounds to reopen and I began whimpering. I began to viciously bang my head against the wall next to me, hoping it would stop everything...all of my thoughts, my pain, my fear, my anxieties...but it only gave me a headache.

It was so hard to breathe.

Everything in front of me as a huge blur. All of the furniture, the balloons, the stuffed animals, the flowers. All of it was one big blob.

Freeing my hands from the wrapped up bondages that were meant to heal me, I brutally threw my fists onto the wall and kept pounding them until they were a bloody mess.

"Fontana!" A male voice boomed and it sounded alarmed. The sheer volume of his voice startled me and I crashed onto the floor.

My head collided with the cold floor and everything started to move in slow motion. It had been Zero who shouted and he was the one who attempted to lift me off the floor.

I say attempted because I attacked him. I didn't see him. I saw the maroon haired bastard and his malicious red, glowing eyes.

My bloodied fists struck his face, smearing my blood on his cheeks and I bit his left hand when he tried to wrap them around my shoulders. It wasn't like my brain was really functioning. I was physically in one place, but mentally everywhere.

My body, my instincts, told me to defend myself or die.

The maroon haired bastard reached out and grabbed a needle that was already filled with some strange liquid and he pierced my skin with it. I heard myself howl and I brutally kicked him in the stomach, feeling panic capture the rest of me, but then I felt something tugging me back to reality.

I was staring at the ceiling above my bed again and the maroon haired bastard slowly changed into someone with silver hair. The room stopped spinning, my body cooled down and I was finally able to breathe again.

"Damn it Fontana," Zero swore, though his voice sounded like buzzing to me.

_No. I'm not going to cry. I don't want to cry._

I whimpered, my senses were going insane. I could smell my intoxicating vanilla-scented blood and it was making me dizzy, and I could taste the metallic in it. I could hear my heart pounding furiously in my ears and I was seeing blobs.

"Fontana," Zero mumbled quietly and I saw his hand awkwardly reach out to touch my hair but I threw myself backwards so he couldn't touch me.

I didn't want to be touched. I didn't want anyone near me.

"GO AWAY!" I screamed hysterically, grabbing whatever was close to me, which were only stuffed animals, and began tossing them at him. I think they placed only stuffed animals around me on purpose.

"Fontana, calm down," he ordered while dodging the flying stuffed zebra, but that made me scream even more.

Yagari Touga was suddenly in my vision. I really don't know when he got there. Or how for that matter.

"What happened? Why is she screaming?" he inquired, forcibly taking my hands and he held me down, which caused me to writhe and spit curses at him in English and Japanese.

Zero glowered at me. "She was having a panic attack."

The black haired man frowned. "Did you medicate her?"

Zero nodded but didn't say anything and they both watched me, waiting for me to calm down.

I stared at the two men. A part of me knew what they were saying, but the other half didn't comprehend anything at all.

"Is she awake?"

I suddenly went rigid, hearing voices outside my door.

It was Yuuki and Kiren. She told her to return to her room because I wasn't awake yet. I exhaled noisily, frustrated with myself since I couldn't move. I heard her sigh sadly and I whined loudly when I heard her footsteps become more faint.

I wanted to see her. I wanted to see someone I could trust. I needed her to put me at ease.

_The fucking men need to leave._

"Are you going to be calm now Fontana-san?" Mr. Yagari questioned me gently, as to not provoke me.

I slowly bobbed my head up and down, suddenly feeling dazed.

"The medicine is working," Zero stated.

"I know." He released my arms.

I lied down, glued to the sticky sheets that absorbed my sweat and followed their movements with my eyes since I couldn't move anymore. Everything was sore.

I closed my eyes, counted to ten and prayed that I would never wake up again.

* * *

_How long did I sleep?_

My eyes opened slowly, wincing from the bright sunlight that touched the room and my ears picked up the voices that were murmuring outside of my bedroom door. I yawned, attempting to get rid of the fuzzy feeling in mouth. I feel like I haven't brushed my teeth in ages. I lifted my hands and found new, clean bandages on my hands and broken fingers.

Zero must have fixed me up while I was asleep.

"Serena!" Mom cried, tears spilling from her eyes as she barged into my room. "SERENA!"

"Mom, I'm right here and please don't yell." My voice was weak. It was like a witch had turned me into a frog and the only thing I could do was croak.

Mr. Bunny had been right about my senses being sensitive. Everything was so…bizarre. I could smell my mother's salty tears, smelled her scent of rain even before she entered the room.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, carefully grabbing my hand to avoid any further injuries. She examined my face, taking in all of my injuries and I saw her lower lip tremble. "I am so sorry."

"Why are you here?" I asked, thinking she was here to pull me out of the school and I wondered when was the best time to bombard her with questions about my family.

"What do you mean by that? Are you saying I wouldn't come to look for my own daughter? Your father called me and-"

"My father? _My father_ called you?" I squeaked in surprise. She became instantly quiet and stared at the floor.

_Be strong. Be brave. Show no weaknesses._

"You mean to say you've been keeping in touch with him this entire time?" I sat up quickly to glare at her, which was a bad idea since all the blood rushed to my head again and it made me dizzy.

"It's a long story, Serena," she frowned at me seriously.

"Oh my God!" I shouted angrily. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me he was alive!"

"Because it was so much easier for me to hate him than to forgive him," she said quietly.

"_Hate_? You wanna talk about hate? Do you have any idea how much I could _hate you_ right now?" I seethed.

"Serena, please…"

"Oh shut up! I want to talk to him. _Now_," I snarled and continued to be insolent with her when she didn't move. "Gawd damn it woman! _**Go fetch him**_!"

"She doesn't need to, Serena, I'm already here," a voice interrupted and my head snapped up to see Yagari Touga, who snuck into my room without me even realizing it.

He has a habit of doing that it seems…

"What are you doing here?" I snapped.

"Oh, I thought you were talking about me when you said go fetch him. I needed to see your wounds," he answered, ignoring my attitude. "Since you made a mess earlier."

"You've been treating her?" Mom smiled and thanked him in Japanese.

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. "You speak Japanese?"

"Where do you think you get your intelligence from? Your mother is a genius with languages. She wanted to be a interpreter for the UN when she was in school," Yagari smiled until he saw me shooting daggers at him with my eyes.

"Serena, calm down. He's not your father," Mom sighed.

"Oh… that explains the dirty looks she's been giving me. She's right though, I'm your Father's friend," he answered, though unsure now. He looked like he wanted to bolt out of the room.

"He's not my Father, whoever the hell you're referring to," I snapped. "Real fathers stay with their families."

"Could you leave us, Touga-kun? We have much to talk about," Mom smiled politely at him, folding her hands on top of her knees.

He nodded and without saying anything he left the room.

I glared at her. "Touga-_kun_? What are you two? Best friends?"

"We were when we were younger," she replied hastily. "It's ironic that you would choose the same country I chose a long time ago. I was an exchange student in Japan before…everything."

"So this is where you met your husband?" I inquired, refusing to use the term 'Dad' or 'Father'.

"Well not in this school obviously, but in this country," she answered, a genuine smile formed on her face.

"Go on, I'd love to hear this _lovely_ fairy tale," I told her, not holding back on my sarcasm.

"Well it's not like he was Prince Charming," she chuckled, her eyes becoming distant as if she had mentally traveled back in time.

"He was clumsy, always laughing, and he did _not_ know how to talk to the ladies. I suppose you could say he was socially awkward."

"You guys met in high school?"

"Yup. We were high school sweet hearts."

I sighed sarcastically. "Rats. I don't have popcorn for this."

"Serena, please try to be serious."

"Oh, I am."

"Anyway," she said, ignoring me, "we met in high school. He had to tutor me in Japanese…and…five years later we were married. We had a son before we had you."

"Hold on, wait, pause! You guys had a _son_? I have a brother? An older brother? Why haven't I heard of him? Why haven't I seen him? Is he living with-"

"He's dead, Serena," she interrupted me with a gloomy tone, "we were attacked by a group of vampires and one of them was a pureblood named Hajime Bokyo and he—"

"_FUCKING _HORSE SHIT! _THEM AGAIN_? FOR FUCKING CHRIST SAKE, I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM! I DIDN'T EVEN _DO_ ANYTHING TO THEM!" I bellowed, nearly falling off the bed because I had staggered up to yell.

"I know darling but-"

"I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! WHERE DO THEY LIVE? I'LL FUCKING KILL THEM ALL MYSELF!" I got up on my feet and immediately met the floor.

Mom gasped and was instantly at my side. "Serena! Don't do that again! You're in no condition to move! Besides, I don't think you can. In fact, I know you can't. You're-"

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T KNOW ME! I'LL KILL THEM!" I screamed frantically.

"Serena, I do know you, you're my daughter," she responded, frustrated as she placed me back onto the bed. "Calm down darling."

"CALM DOWN? YOU WANT ME TO _CALM DOWN_? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?" I shrieked, already trying to get out of bed again.

_I was going to fucking kill them all. I will show no mercy to their women or children or infants or their fucking pets. They were just all going to die. No, I take that back. First I'm going to torture them and THEN I'm going to kill them. Fucking burn them and cut them and--_

"IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP RIGHT NOW I WILL REMOVE YOUR TONGUE!" she screamed heatedly as she took out a pen knife out of her pocket, startling me out of my thoughts because never in my life has she ever threaten me with a knife.

I slumped into my bed, breathed through my nostrils and waited for her to continue. "Fine."

She sucked in a deep breath to soothe herself and forced herself to smile. It was a watery smile. "As I was saying…we were attacked…you were only an infant at the time and Damon—that was your brother's name--took you and hid you in the stables where we used to keep our horses and-"

"We had horses?" I asked, stunned.

"Yes," she glowered. "Stop interrupting me or we'll get nowhere."

I quickly grumbled an apology.

"You were well hidden, and your father…since he was a vampire hunter…was fighting them, but … there were too many of them. I believe the whole Bokyo clan was there. Hajime, the only pureblood in their clan because the rest of them married nobles or vampires of lesser ranks, bit your brother and me," she began to sniffle and it caused me to flinch. She was about to cry.

"We transformed. Not right then, but we became vampires. Level D to be more precise but your –"

"Level D? So far I've only heard of Level E," I said, risking the chance of having my tongue removed but I couldn't help it. Why go on with the story if I was confused at the beginning?

"Ah," she said, sniffling again. "I guess I have the honor to explain that. Well, vampires have ranks…levels…a Pureblood is at the top, being Level A and are the most rare and most powerful vampires. They alone have the ability to change a human into a vampire, but most refuse to do it."

I snorted. "_Most_? That's reassuring."

She narrowed her eyes at me, a signal to keep quiet.

"Level B are nobles, which most of the Night Class students attending here are and they-"

"HOLD UP! The Night Class students? All of them? Are vampires?" I felt like someone had punched my throat and the air was knocked back into my lungs in a painful way.

"You mean to say you didn't notice?"

"Not really! I mean Aidou said he was, but I didn't think all of them were—Erica had the idea though…God she was right!"

Mom sighed for the millionth time. "Yes, well, they're all here on a peace treaty that your father created and they are under the control of a pureblood named Kuran Kaname. Apparently they want humans and vampires to live together in harmony."

"Mr. High-and-Mighty? A pureblood?" My hand went to my sore throat, remembering the feeling of being bitten the first time. "Oh…_fuck_...a whole school of vampires…Christ…"

"_You_ wanted to attend this school! I tried to persuade you! I thought you were here because of your father!" Mom yelled.

"What does he have to do with this?" I snarled.

"HE'S THE HEADMASTER!" she screamed and it got quiet real fast.

The headmaster…was my father?

_Breathe, Serena, breathe. Remember that you need air to live._

"You didn't know, did you?" she asked quietly.

I shook my head, having no voice to use anymore. She sighed, running her hands through her hair and she leaned forward, strands of her red hair covered her face.

"As I was saying, Level B are nobles and they have special powers, and as for what kind of powers it really depends on the vampire. Level C are every day vampires and they make up the majority," she sighed again, "Level D vampires are vampires that were once human and they gradually become Level E vampires. Both humans and vampires hunt down Level E vampires because of the terror they create. Level E vampires…are insane…they are driven insane by their lack of control for their desire for blood, therefore they are killed before they kill people by draining them dry."

"And you're a Level D?" I inquired, sounding more like a weak squeaky toy. "Are you saying that you'll become a Level E?"

"Eventually. That's why Adam is with me. He's a vampire hunter and he's keeping watch."

"You mean he'll kill you once you morph," I snapped. This is worse than him being her lover.

"Yes, I know," she said tiredly.

"Why did he leave? He was a vampire hunter—why did he leave us? How did Damon die?" A lot of me was in denial...and shocked. My hands felt numb and the rest of me was shaking. Thoughts began attacking my brain and even before a sentence would end, another would start. I had so many questions.

_Why is this all coming out now? Why couldn't they have told me sooner?_

_WHY WAS IT SO FUCKING HARD TO BREATHE?_

She opened her mouth to explain, but then she stopped, her eyes widening in horror as she relived the moment. Her body began convulsing with sobs. "He was only ten years old! He couldn't control himself!"

"So you're saying he turned into a Level E…" My voice drifted off. "…by whom?"

"Your father had to do it. By the time he changed, he was the only one there who _could_ do it," she sniffled. "And that's what drove him away. After killing his own son, he couldn't face us anymore. He felt…guilty."

"And so he left me behind?" I snapped. "I could have been your food for crying out loud!"

That earned me a hard slap I knew I deserved.

"_How could you say that_?"

"Well, it's true isn't it? If you're supposedly going to become a Level E because of your thirst for blood, eventually you were going to attack me!" I cried.

She swiftly stood up, knocking her chair backwards and she screamed. "HE DIDN'T LEAVE YOU BEHIND! YOU CHOSE TO BE WITH ME!"

"I WAS AN INFANT! HOW THE HELL COULD I HAVE KNOWN ANY BETTER?"

Her sobs became more violent. "He kept going… back and forth… America and Japan...finally deciding to stay in ...in Japan since we chose to live in America…after we were married. He…was going to take you with him…but...but you wouldn't stop screaming…you kept coming back to me…he didn't…have…the heart to take you away from me…so he left…by him...himself. You were…only three…so sometimes he'd visit…spend time with you…but at five…he stopped coming."

That explains why he kept leaving and coming back. I remember that. I remember him always leaving and always coming back. Then, at five years old, he didn't come back. And the neighbors told me he didn't want to be a part of the family anymore.

As she wept she mumbled something about him having a good heart. He always had a fragile, loving heart.

"Mom…what did Damon look like?" I asked softly, suddenly remembering the red haired boy in my dreams.

She sniffled, blowing her nose in a tissue that she had packed in her black leather purse. "Red…hair…my eyes...young…so young…"

"Did…Dad…shoot him?"

He had a bullet hole on his forehead. Blood leaked from it to the side of his face.

She bobbed her head up and down, and I was ready to vomit. I grabbed the clean iron gray bucket the prefect left me earlier and puked whatever I was fed earlier into it. I forced myself to look away from the disgusting mess and the repulsive smell because I knew I would only throw up again.

The dead boy in my dreams was my older brother. My older brother, before he died, protected me. He kept me safe from the enemy, and now even from the grave, he was still protecting me.

"It's why I changed my hair color to brown when you were younger," she sobbed. "He used to tell me he loved my red hair, and when he…died…that's all I could think of…all I could see in the mirrors…it was driving me mad…"

I wheezed sharply and found myself gasping for air, so I clutched my shirt--was it even my shirt? I don't remember ever having it-- tightly in hopes of keeping myself steady and having some control over myself, but my knuckles became pale and my nails dug so deep into my palms that I was cutting myself. I could already smell the blood.

Everything was spinning. Why did everything move so fast?

I whimpered and started to cry. She reached out to me, to hug me, and even though I didn't want her comfort, I didn't … _couldn't _… reject her. It hurt. Why did everything have to hurt?

* * *

I was asleep again. I knew because I was standing in the middle of a frozen, aquamarine lake. Damon was there, ice-skating and he was really good at it too, and I realized that this was his heaven. He loved ice and he loved playgrounds.

I stared at him, not sure of what to do anymore. A part of me wanted to drop to my knees and just die. Maybe I could borrow his ice-skate and use it to cut me open. A part of me wanted to scream at him, vent and let loose every emotion I had kept locked up.

He stopped right in front of me, shaving ice off the frozen lake and gently held out his hand.

I stared at his small hand, noticing the small palm and the tiny lines.

"Want to skate with me?" he asked, a small smile on his face.

That alone broke me.

He was a brother I didn't remember--a brother I didn't have the chance to get to know, to play with, to talk to, to spend time with, to ask for advice…all these years…and I had been alone. Miserably alone.

"Serena, don't cry," he said and he tried to wipe my tears away, but because he was a spirit his hands went right through them.

That made me cry even more.

"You never cried when you were a baby. You always laughed. Laugh for me Serena," he smiled tenderly, his eyes soft.

I hiccupped, fell to my knees and wrapped my arms around him. Never mind the fact I can't really hug him--I wanted a hug damn it!

"It's okay, Serena, I've always been with you," he smiled. "I watched you grow. I watched you live because…truthfully, because I wanted to live too. I wanted to know what it would be like as a teenager, so I went with you. Do you hate me for that?"

I shook my head vigorously.

"Do you hate me, Serena? For actually being your brother? Do you wish you that you never knew? I know you think that you should have never have found Erica and her family--do you honestly think it would have been better to not have known that a loved one died? What do you think now? Do you not want to know who I am? Do you hate me?" he bombarded me with questions, his voice filled with concern and worry.

When I looked at him, I realized he was afraid of rejection. He didn't want me to shun him.

"I would _never_ hate you," I said, my voice meek and I sniffled. "Don't ever think I will."

A small, boyish smile played on his face and it made him glow.

"Good, because I've always loved you."

As I hugged him tightly to me, or at least tried to anyway, I looked at the ice that was around us.

I couldn't help but think about the ice and relate it to my life.

When I skated on the ice, I fell and I fell hard, but no one was there to lift me up. My father, I believed, was non-existent, my mother was my enemy with her cruel words, Erica had her own issues and the neighbors were judgmental. I had only my strength to keep going, only myself to lift me up.

But had I been really alone all this time?

I breathed in the cold air, relishing in the fresh air and the soothing affect it gave me.

"I love the ice," he said suddenly. "It's like snow. Pure."

"Yea, but snow is fluffier." My tears were either drying or becoming frozen.

"Yes, but ice is harder to break. Just like you, Serena."

I frowned, totally disagreeing with the kid. "I'm not as strong as you think I am, Damon."

"Yes, you are. You're just underestimating yourself again," he giggled childishly. "Remember all those fancy quotes they said back in school? 'The only limits you face are the ones you've created.'"

I shook my head and gave him a tiny, watery smile. "You're really smart for a ten year old, but you're wrong. There's a lot of things I can't do--_can't handle_--I mean weren't you even watching me when I attacked Zero? Or when I shot Aidou? I freaked out and I couldn't control myself."

He shrugged. "That's normal. You were hurt, confused and you panicked. You did what you could to survive. I have followed you enough to know you well enough, so I know what I'm talking about."

"Stalker," I mumbled.

"With good intentions, mind you. Oh, and one more thing Serena."

"What?"

"Forgive Dad."

"I…I don't…I don't know if I can do that," I mumbled uneasily. "I'm not ready to do that."

"I'm not asking you to love him or become best friends or even to trust him, but to forgive him," he persisted.

"Why? Why should I?" I asked bitterly.

He gave me a sad look. "Because he's human sis. We're all flawed, and he loves you."

I snorted and folded my arms over my chest. "Yea, whatever. Just drop the subject."

"Promise me you'll talk to him," he said, giving me a stern look, which was so cute on his face. A ten year old looking determined is always adorable!

I shook my head. "I won't make a promise. Not if I don't know that I'll keep it."

"Will you at least try?"

"…I can't guarantee anything," I sighed.

"That's enough for me," he said, a smile forming on his lips. "So let's skate now! I've always wanted to do it with you!"

"Sure, why not? What harm could one more broken bone do?" I said sarcastically.

He snickered at me. "Serena, it's just a dream. You won't wake up with more damage."

"It's okay. Everything will be okay," he smiled reassuringly, squeezing my left hand and led me onto the ice.

Reality sunk into me and memories flashed in my head.

The faces of the Skylar family, Jade's tattoo, Aidou's wounded shoulder and his upset face, and the blood that I had smeared onto Zero's face when I had attacked him. As I skated, glaring at the ice beneath my feet and barely listening to Damon's skating instructions, I wished I was someone else. Someone that other people looked up to, someone that made her parents proud...someone that made her brother proud.

Someone pretty. Someone skinny. Someone smart. Someone stronger.

Anyone but me.

I had gotten Erica and her family killed. I had shot Aidou in fear. I had attacked Zero in one of my panic fevers.

I should stay away from Kiren. I don't want her to be my next victim.

The feeling of impending doom clutched my heart and I was afraid.

Very afraid.

* * *

Prepare for my long ramble!

I wanted to list off the people and events that inspired me because I owe them big time...where would the story be without them?

1) My roommate last year once asked me if I believed in Guardian angels. My answer? Maybe. If I have one it's probably an animal. Anyway, she said she believes her older brother, Paul, is her guardian angel. Apparently he was a stillbirth...so that's where the idea of Damon came from.

2) Serena's Mom is _slightly_ based on my mother. Both have an obsession with languages (My Mom wanted to work for the UN as a translator, which explains why she knows so many damn languages...you should try talking to her...I get confused as hell).

3) The line Damon says "Do you think it's better not to have known a loved one died?" is directly from me when my family kept my cousin's death from me and I was talking to his younger sister. He had died sometime in October 2007 and I didn't find out till February 2008 (Oh yea, I was _pissed) _and I was apologizing to her for not attending the funeral, etc, because I had not known...and she told me she would rather not have known. I obviously disagreed.

I do realize that Serena is being bombarded with a lot information and it's probably because no one has ever told _me_ things little by little. They either tell me everything all at once or they don't tell me anything at all -sweat drops-

I don't own the song "I believe" by Sonohra, which is actually sung in Italian but I translated it to English and I do recommend listening to it. Pretty please? :D

Happy birthday Serena! And...I suppose Erica and her family's death was sudden, but that's how death is. It's unexpected. Next chapter is packed with humor!


	14. Sleepovers are for girls

Chapter fourteen: Sleepovers are for girls

When I woke up again my mother was gone and Zero took her place, sitting in the chair beside me.

"You know, you're becoming creepy. Have you been watching me sleep?"

"Yes and no, I was sent to keep an eye on you in case you had another panic attack," he responded coolly.

"Ah…did Chairman Cross send you?"

"Obviously."

"Where's Yagari-sama?"

An eyebrow was raised at me. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well…he's a vampire hunter, like you, I was…going to ask a favor…" My voice trailed off.

"Such as?"

"I wanted him to-"

He rudely cut me off. "If you're asking to be trained as a hunter-- forget it."

I growled. "Why?"

"Because I won't let you become a hunter."

"I'm not asking to be trained to become a hunter."

"Then what's your purpose?" He eyed me suspiciously.

"My…" I sighed, "Mom is a vampire. Level D to be more precise, and eventually she'll become a Level E."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "You want to hunt your mother?"

I shot him a determined glare. "I'm not letting her stupid fucked up lover kill her. She's my mom. If…the _Headmaster_…won't do it…then I will."

It became eerily quiet again. Why did I always create such awkward silences?

"I'll see what he says."

"No, I'm going to talk to him personally," I argued.

"Not right now."

"Who said now?" I snapped. "And why do you care? It's my life and my family."

He narrowed his eyes dangerously at me. "I don't care if it's your family. These are lives we're talking about. You can't just go shooting about."

"And do you honestly believe I'd do that to my own mother?" I snarled viciously.

"Like I said, I'll see what he says."

I sucked in a deep breath to keep calm and not chew him out. "Where is she anyway?"

"She's talking to the Chairman."

"About what?"

"Living arrangements. Apparently she wants to stay here where everyone can keep an eye on her."

"Really?" My eyes widened in surprise. I wasn't sure of how I felt with her being so close by.

He nodded. Then it hit me.

I groaned and gently yanked on the strands of my hair.

"What now?"

"It's going to be super awkward! With her and the Headmaster and Mr. Tampon," I groaned again.

"Mister…Tampon?"

"Don't ask."

"You mean Mr. Motsies, her vampire hunter," he corrected me.

I confirmed, scowling. "Yea him."

"You're right. It's going to be…interesting." His eyes played in amusement.

I sighed, burying my face into my hands as an image of the trio popped into my head. I rather her be with the Headmaster than Mr. Tampon, but I suppose that's natural? I stared at the gifts that were around the window to get that off my mind and exhaled slowly.

He saw where I had looked and said, "You should probably open them."

"Can you hand them to me? I can't really move," I said.

He gradually got up, scooting his chair back and one by one, he handed me my birthday presents.

"Funny, I've never been unconscious on my birthday before," I joked. "I wonder if anyone had cake."

Zero raised an eyebrow at me. "You're strange."

"Tell me something I don't know."

I studied the blue small box in front of me. The box was made of smooth material, kinda had a silk feeling to it, and a fat green bow sat on top of it. The nametag that came along with it had a neat, scribbled name on it that made my heartache.

"Kiren," I whispered to myself and looked at the prefect. "How is she? I haven't heard from her since…before the attack."

"Her mother's in the hospital," he said quietly. "Apparently she's going through chemotherapy."

I gasped. "Is she okay?"

I wanted to smack myself. Here I am in bed and I was the one who was supposed to be there for her.

He shrugged indifferently. "Don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" I snapped. "Don't you see her once you leave this fucking room? Can't you even ask her how she's doing? Are you that unfeeling?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Once I leave the room, I report to the Chairman."

"And then what? You go about your prefect duties?"

He didn't answer and he didn't have to, I already knew. He was plagued with his own problems.

"You hate being in this room, don't you?" I questioned him. "The scent of my blood drives you insane."

His lavender hued eyes shone with surprise. "How…how do you…?"

"Your eyes. They look pained whenever I'm bleeding. It must be a pain in the ass to be surrounded by blood that you can't have…vampire," I stated, dangerously narrowing my eyes at him.

"I don't want your blood," he growled.

"Your human side doesn't, but your vampire side does."

He sharply stood up, knocking over the chair and glared furiously at me.

I sighed tiredly, rubbing my temples. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…though I seem to be doing that to a lot of people."

"I'll be back," he muttered abruptly and swiftly left the room, slamming the door behind him.

I snorted. The objects in this room are most certainly abused. The door gets slammed a lot, the chair is knocked over, and the walls are beaten to death. It's a good thing they're not living beings or everyone would be sued.

I really hadn't meant to piss him off, but lately my mouth blurted out what ever it wanted and I really had not wanted to expose the fact that I knew of his…issue. But after Mom spilled the beans of being a Level D, I couldn't help but notice how she and Zero acted.

They were cautious. They moved silently, and while Mom hid behind her mask of beauty to keep the world from knowing the truth, Zero hid behind a mask of indifference.

And then I realized that when Mom had taken my hands into hers, it was not because she wanted to comfort me, but to control her thirst for my blood. She wanted to hide my blood. Zero had reacted to my blood the same way. When I had smacked his face, leaving my blood on his cheek, he took several steps back to get away from me and began breathing harshly, but he managed to control himself and then stabbed me with the needle to medicate me.

Of course, I didn't realize right away that there was something wrong with him. I was too busy freaking out myself, and it wasn't till after I was left digesting all the information that I thought about everything that had occurred between when I was kidnapped and after Mom left my room to give me some space.

And it was a huge meal to digest. If anyone fed me more information, I was bound to become insane. I sighed, tired and feeling irritable from all of the medicine and the pain that was slowly returning.

I was going to be drugged again soon.

My eyes caught the sight of my birthday presents on my bed and I smiled, believing now was best to distract my mind with simple pleasures. I deserved it, didn't I? I took my time opening the box, careful not to ruin it since it came from Kiren and grinned when I took out a new turquoise journal with my name delicately written in old English letters. I wonder where she bought it. She's always buys the best things.

My hands traced the hard covers of the journal, feeling the smoothness of it and opened it to see the pages. On each light blue page, there was a star in the corner of it and beside the star was a crescent moon. I gently placed the journal on the table beside me where all my pain medication mocked me, reminding me of my panic attack earlier.

_I'm probably going to be taking those for a while._

The second gift I opened was from Mom. It had her handwriting all over it—quite literally. I didn't expect it to be a camera though. I never asked for one and I never had one before. I shrugged; thinking maybe one day it'll come to good use. The next gift that had been laid carelessly on the bed by the prefect was small and tied together clumsily, the wrappings stuck out and there was tape everywhere. There wasn't a nametag.

"Wow, either someone doesn't know how to wrap or they were attacked by the wrappings," I chuckled, removing all the tape, which took some time and effort since I didn't want to rip anything.

When I was done, I found a simple necklace of a moon and sun fused together and I immediately realized that the gift was from the Headmaster. It was a symbol to unite the vampires and the humans, and apparently he wanted me to represent it.

_The hell? _

I was never good at politics, and this is even worse than the normal political crap that I heard everyday. This involved vampires. Blood sucking beasts who only pretended to be civilized. I snorted, finding some twisted humor in it and shook my head.

_Wrong again. Humans are just as bad as vampires._

How many people, supposedly civilized, have harmed and judged others before becoming familiar with the opposition?

The homosexuals are damned, the pagans are damned, the people who don't believe in anything are damned, the women who want abortions are damned, the poor and homeless are damned. Need I say more? And how about all those lovely serial killers, tyrants, rapists, abusive people, greedy pimps, and child molesters?

Can I honestly call them civilized? Wasn't I the one who said that anyone could choose to be God or Devil? Don't we all have that right? Who said humans were good and vampires were evil? The Bible?

_But still…._

The necklace was from _him_ and I wasn't exactly ready to accept his apology for absence. Part of me wanted to fling it across the room. The other part of me wanted to keep it close. It was, after all, my first gift from him. Would it be so bad to want it?

I frowned in frustration.

_Oh for crying out loud it's just a friggin' necklace!_

I unhooked the chain and ball that kept it together and placed it around my neck. I faintly smiled, enjoying the feeling of the cold metal of the fused celestial objects on my collarbone and looked at the other presents.

_I wonder which one is from Mr. Bunny…_

The question made me think. If he was a vampire…then why was he friends with me? Don't vampires hate humans? Or see them as a meal? Was that why he befriended me? Did he hope to get a free meal from me or something? What if he was just toying with me? Vampires do that a lot, don't they? They play with their food…

It doesn't make any sense…why would a vampire save me? Why would he give me his blood? Why would he look for me?

_UGH! I DON'T GET IT! THIS IS SO EFFIN' CONFUS_-

"Serena-chan?" Kiren's soft voice interrupted my thoughts, startling me.

"KIREN!" I shouted with delight and in my excitement to greet her, my face met the floor. It seems that I need to be constantly reminded that I am injured and therefore should not leave the bed without assistance.

"Serena-chan!" she gasped in worry and she helped me get back onto the bed, but rather letting her go, I tightly wrapped my arms around her waist.

"I missed you so much!" I squeezed her childishly.

She giggled but became instantly concerned. "I missed you too. How are you? I haven't spoken to you since you disappeared and I haven't been able to sleep in peace."

"I'm fine. A few broken bones and cuts and bruises," I smirked. It was times like these that I was glad Erica used to beat the hell out of me. It gave me such a high tolerance for pain. Too bad she didn't train me to become tolerant of emotional pain as well.

"I heard from your mother that you found the bodies of your best friend and her family," she said sadly.

I definitely did not want to talk about _her_. It was too soon and it strangled my heart. Does that make me a horrible friend?

I sighed heavily. "I'm…alive…and surviving it. Why are you here suddenly? I've been trying to see you for a while now."

She smiled tenderly, getting the hint that I didn't want to discuss the past events and went along with me. "Zero told me to come see you. He seemed upset though."

"My fault," I sighed again. "I opened my overly large mouth and said something I shouldn't have. I'll…apologize…later when I see him. Kiren, what's going on in school? Do they know anything?"

"No, Chairman Cross told everyone you were ill and had to be held in one of his 'special rooms' rather than the medical office," she explained and I scooted closer to the wall so she could sit on the bed with me.

"What room _am_ I in?"

"Well, you're not in Sun dorms, you're in the Moon dorms."

"_Say what_?" I choked.

I was in a building filled with vampires and I've been bleeding, puking and unconscious.

What the hell was he thinking?

"Apparently, he thought you would be safer here since the Night Class students could keep an eye on you," she calmly informed me. "In case Kaede comes back for you, you know? Because it seems to be quite simple to break into the Sun dormitories."

"Yea, he really needs to do something about that," I scowled.

I stared at her, a bit puzzled. Did she know? Do I have to tell her? Would I tell her? Was it better to not tell her?

"Kiren…what do you know about Kaede?" I tested her.

She frowned, her eyes expressing sorrow and…hatred? Woah, back away! She's radiating!

"She comes from a clan that has been quarreling with yours and has murdered your friends because she wanted revenge on behalf her fallen relatives."

"Do you know what she is?" I attempted to ignore her previous snarl.

She blinked, clueless. "A student attending here…?"

I mentally smacked myself.

_Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. _

"Of course," I muttered sourly.

She didn't know.

_Shit. Fuck. Gawd damn it. What the hell am I going to do?_

"Yea, sorry…my mind is kinda screwy. So what have you been up to? Are you okay? How is your Mom? I heard that she-"

Kiren waved her hand in front of my face carelessly. "She's fine Serena. Everything has been okay. I've just been worried about you. The room isn't the same without a roommate, you know? It becomes quite uncomfortable…and spooky."

I snorted. "I can only imagine."

Her eyes softened. "Are you really going to be okay?"

I stared at her for a while, not quite sure of what to tell her.

Vampires want me dead. I'm supposedly a vampire hunter. My best friend is dead and so is her family. Jade may or may not be alive. Mom's a Level D vampire and her fucked up boyfriend might kill her one day. The Headmaster is supposedly my father. My brother has been dead for nearly over a decade now and I've been having dreams about him. I'm severely injured and I'm going to miss tons of school work and I know I'll have to make it all up and to top it all off…

I don't even know if Mr. Bunny is really my friend.

_Oh yes, I'm having a fabulous time of my life!_

I responded sarcastically, "I'm _totally_ peachy."

"You're lying."

_What was your first clue?_

"No seriously, I'll be fine. I'm a fighter. Now, if you could be a darling and do me a great favor…" I answered honestly, my voice trailing off.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Help me to the bathroom, please…I don't remember the last time I used it…"

* * *

It was around midnight or so that the door to the room opened slowly and quietly, causing my eyes to quickly focus on the person who entered the room. My body tensed, prepared for an attack.

_Well, if you count stuffed animals as potential weapons. _

However, familiar oceanic eyes came into view and I sighed in relief.

"Mr. Bunny?" I whispered in surprise as he stepped closer. "What are you doing here? You should _really_ give me a heads up before visiting."

He scowled and pouted, his eyes reducing into small playful slits. "And here I thought I would have been given a warm welcome."

"Well…it's just that…I thought you were pissed at me," I defended myself, confused. "And I thought you wouldn't want to see me."

"I wouldn't have, but Kiren bumped into me before she-"

"You didn't do anything to her, did you?" I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion.

He scoffed, folding his arms over his chest as if he was offended. "Fontana Serena, I am appalled! I would never simply attack a human."

"Sure you wouldn't," I sneered, rolling my eyes.

"I've had plenty of opportunities to take your blood," he pointed out, frowning. "But I never did."

"Yea, that's something I don't get."

"What's there to get?"

"You're a vampire."

"Thank you for, _once again_, stating the obvious. Idiot."

"But I'm human! Don't you…hate me?" I asked, feeling unsure. I might not want to hear the response…

He looked down to avoid my eyes and casually shrugged. "No."

"Liar."

"I am not," he growled. "I don't hate you."

"But you do hate humans?"

"I don't hate humans, Serena, they're…_some_…are just food. I have nothing against humans."

_Lies. Lies. And more lies. _

"Why don't you hate me then? Why am I not just food?"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I've been questioning our friendship and would like some reassurance," I snapped.

"Not all vampires view humans as food," he argued.

"I'm not talking about all vampires, I'm talking about you!"

He paused and stared at me, and a few minutes later he shrugged again. "I just don't."

"That's not a real reason," I growled.

"I don't see you as food, okay? Just accept it," he glared.

"No! I want a real reason! Why did you choose me, of all people, to be your friend? You could have just snuck off with one of your fan girls or another worthy vampire chick or whatever."

He stepped closer, once again invading my private space and he sniffed me. "When was the last time you had a shower?"

"I will castrate you if you don't answer me!" I can't threaten him with death anymore...

"Castrate me in your condition?" he chuckled. "You must be joking."

"Don't underestimate me fang boy!"

"It's the truth. You can't budge from your bed."

"Yes I can! And I will!" I glared at him determinedly.

"No, you won't because I won't let you. You move a slight inch and your wounds will reopen, and that will attract other vampires to you," he snapped, eyes reducing to dangerous slits.

"See there you go again! You act all protective like and yet you could be lying about our friendship! That ain't fair!" I shouted.

"Serena, I didn't give you my blood so I could kill you later," he growled and he grabbed me by the collar of the shirt to pull me closer. "I befriended you because you…are different."

"Oh, how many times have I heard _that_ before?" I replied sarcastically.

"I'm being serious, you imbecile. Everything about you is different. You aren't like my fan girls, who squeal over me and worship the ground I walk on. You aren't like the other human girls at school, who are mostly shy and obedient. You aren't like vampire girls, who want nothing but my wealth and blood because I come from a privileged family. You're just…_full of life_."

"Full…of life?" I laughed. "Now I know you're _definitely_ screwing with my mind."

"You joke around—even though it's normally sarcasm, you laugh a lot, you do things because you enjoy them—I'm talking about looking at the stars, not gymnastics. You make people around you feel comfortable so they can be themselves. _You accept people the way they are_."

"Are you sure you're talking about me? 'Cause all I've done so far is piss off Shizune, Asura and Miss Skunk, not to mention Zero and-"

"You opened me up, haven't you?" he interrupted.

"Me? Open _you_ up? Buwahahaha!" I began laughing hysterically.

"Where's the humor in that?" he asked, clearly annoyed.

"You NEVER shut up! That's why I gave you the nickname BUNNY! You just keep going and going!"

He shot me an irritated scowl. "Have you ever seen me talking to my fan girls? I mean, actually conversing with them in a serious topic?"

"Mr. Bunny, you barely have any serious conversations."

"I do too," he argued.

"Name one."

"The one about your father."

"That's because you read my stupid journal and opened your big mouth!"

He rubbed his forehead. "You're annoying."

"And I think that's really the reason you're friends with me," I smirked.

"What do you mean?" He quirked an eyebrow at me questioningly.

I shrugged. "I'm someone you can joke with and get angry at. It's not the first time someone uses me as their vent. Erica did the-"

I abruptly stopped talking because her face, her dead one, had popped unexpectedly in my head and it caused me to flinch.

He noticed it. "Hurts?"

"More than you'll ever understand," I replied dejectedly.

A gloomy silence filled the room.

"How do you like it here?" he asked a few moments later, changing the topic and he took a seat next to the window. The moonlight embraced him, making his hair appear softer and his eyes looked luminous.

I studied him, tilting my head as I noticed how the moon made him look so...calm and mysterious. Did the moon have that affect on all vampires, or just him?

I took my time answering him, "It's okay, I suppose. I'm not used to being in a dorm surrounded by vampires."

"Kaname-sama advised your father to place you here. He wanted to keep an eye on you himself," he stated.

I rolled my eyes. "So nice of him. Remind me to send him a card saying '_Thank you for spying_.'"

He scowled. "He just wants to keep you safe."

"Yea, yea, whatever."

It became quiet so I started to fiddle nervously with my moon and sun fused necklace, using it as my stress ball.

"How can you stay in this room is beyond me," he said suddenly.

"Why? What's wrong with it? Besides the smell of the place, which is totally my fault, it's fine."

"The curtains are a nasty color of brown, the room _does_ smell bad, the pillows aren't comfortable, this chair isn't even comfortable, and the walls of this room-"

"They're white, Mr. Bunny, plain and simple."

"Too plain," he complained.

"Are you sure you're not a girl?" I smirked, " 'Cause you are picky as hell."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Do you want proof?"

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "As if you have anything to prove."

He gave me a mischievous grin. "Are you sure about that?"

"What are you going to do about it?" I challenged.

He stood up, walked towards me and placed his right hand above my head, which was leaning against the wall. His left hand slowly started to unbuckle his belt as if he wanted to tease me first and my eyes widened.

"Wait! _Hold up_! **Stop**!" I shouted and turned around frantically in search for something.

He laughed, still somewhat stripping off his pants. "Do I make you nervous?"

I grunted, finally locating the stupid thing. "No, you fag. I was looking for this!"

He eyed the black new camera in my hands suspiciously. "What is that for?"

"Well, what kind of cruel person would I be if I didn't take a picture of you with your pants down? The fan girls would pay me loads of money," I grinned wickedly.

He shot me a livid glare. "I _should_ kill you."

"After I take the picture. So give me a show worth remembering!"

"Give me that." He yanked the camera from my hands, causing me to gasp and protest.

"Hey! Don't break that! It's my birthday present from Mom!"

"You should have thought about that before you threatened to take pictures of me," he glowered.

"Aww, but Mr. Bunny, think about your avid fans! How disappointed would they be if I didn't share!"

"I'm not going to strip, you littl-"

"Oh, then I suppose you'd want me to do it for you?" I questioned and I knew I was grinning pervertedly.

He blushed heavily and barely choked out, "W-what?"

"_Just kidding_."

He growled and balled his fists, "Serena."

"Can I see your wound?" I asked randomly.

"My wound…?" He blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic.

"Yea, from where I shot you, you fag. Or did you forget already?"

Rather than giving me the middle finger about my remark, he stared at me, somewhat hesitant. Funny how he didn't mind stripping off his pants and now he was having a hard time showing his injured shoulder.

He slowly removed the top half of his school uniform and got up from his seat to come closer to me so I could see. I sat up and swung my legs on the side of the bed as he lowered himself down to my level. The upper part of his body was fully exposed to me and it made me feel…powerful. He was completely vulnerable to me at this point. His fan girls would seriously consider killing me if they ever found out about this.

There was a fist sized hole where his collarbone and armpit met, causing me to cringe and suck in a breath. I could only imagine the searing pain that he had felt when I shot him.

My fingers gently traced the black edges of the injury and I barely noticed that I had caused him to shiver. I didn't allow myself to touch the center, dark violet part of it. I didn't want to provoke any further pain. I looked behind his shoulder to see if anything appeared on his other side--in case the shot had gone through his shoulder--but I didn't find any traces of torn flesh, so I returned to the previous spot and studied it.

_Okay, time to swallow my pride and say the magic words._

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"You weren't in the right state of mind when you shot me," he said offhandedly. "So really there's no reason to-"

"I'm sorry…for everything. Not just because I shot you, but because the last time you saw me I insulted you and …the other vampires," I said, looking at him in the eyes. "It was wrong of me."

He stared back, appearing somewhat shocked but then he genuinely smiled and gently whispered, "Apology accepted."

We were close enough to where our noses touched and I backed away, feeling lightheaded for some reason.

"Good, glad I got that over with."

He snorted. "Yea."

"So, are you skipping class?"

"No, I just wanted to check on you and then join them."

"Well you're seriously late."

"I wasn't expecting you to talk to me," he gave me softhearted smile.

"Well don't just stand there—get going! You're late for class!"

He playfully smirked at me, ruffling my hair as he went and gently closed the door behind him.

I stared at the empty space next to me in wonder. I freaked out earlier when Zero and the other vampire hunter tried to touch me—so why didn't I freak out when he touched me? He was the real vampire. Shouldn't I have had winced or yelled at him?

I sniffed my skin and hair, and recoiled in disgust.

"I sooooo need to shower…"

* * *

It was around six in the morning when dawn started to slowly creep up and my door opened. I groaned when I heard it creak, becoming annoyed with all the people that suddenly decided to come check on me.

"Go away. I'm fine, but tired and in need of sleep," I ordered the person and didn't even bother to look at them.

"I know, me too."

I immediately sprung into a sitting position to glare at the blonde idiot standing centimeters away from my bed. "What the hell are you doing Aidou?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he yawned and stretched. "Move over."

My eyes widened in horror. "Are. You. On. **_Crack_**? _Get out_!"

He pouted tiredly. "Oh come on. You sleep during the night and I sleep during the day. How bad could it be?"

"You have your own friggin' room!" I hissed.

"But the sun invades my room," he reasoned, removing his jacket and loosening his tie. "And I noticed that in your room, since it's facing the other way, the sun doesn't start coming through the curtains till it's evening."

"Take it up with the ball of fire then," I sneered.

"But I have a headache," he continued to pout childishly.

"What do you expect me to do?" I snapped. "Massage you?"

"Please?"

"If I'm allowed to chop you to bits too."

"That's why only stuffed animals are in this room."

"Wrong! I have a new journal!"

"And...what do you suppose you're going to do with it?" he stared at me, making me feel a little stupid.

"Paper cuts!" I exclaimed excitedly.

"You're pathetic." He frowned pitifully. "And you call me a rabbit."

"I'm more like a carrot than a rabbit," I said in my defense. I wasn't referring to my hair color either. According to Mom, not a lot of people like carrots. So, in a very weird way, I was like a carrot. Not a lot of people liked me.

"You do realize that rabbits _eat_ carrots? My how coincidental…"

I began to snarl, half pissed off at myself for totally forgeting the little fact he brought up, and held up one fist. "Get out of my room fang boy."

"I'm sleeping here," he stated calmly, already climbing into bed.

"I'm not in the mood for a sleep over! Go away!" I shouted.

"Nap time," he mumbled, curling up next to me.

"SECURITY!" I shouted hysterically. "SECURITY! **_SECURITY_**!"

"You're an idiot," he chuckled, becoming comfortable underneath my blanket.

"SOMEBODY GET THIS RAPIST OUT OF MY ROOM!"

He scowled. "Do you honestly think I'd rape you? Miss I'd-rather-molest-a-zombie?"

"Well, considering that you're a vampire...wait, who's side am I on?"

"Idiot."

"Shut up! It's too early to argue!" I whined as I tried to shove him off the bed, but the bastard wouldn't budge.

He yawned, completely ignoring my shoving. "Than be quiet and go to sleep. I'm tired too."

"Leave my room!" I growled again. "I _will_ kill you!"

The fag had the nerve to laugh. "Not in your condition."

"Just because I can't kick your ass doesn't mean I can't at least smother you with my pillow!"

"I'm not going anywhere Serena."

"Damn it!" I huffed. "You pain in the ass!"

"Always, my dear, always," he chortled sardonically.

"Why do you insist on sleeping in my room? When you told me earlier that you didn't approve of it?"

He shrugged a little but didn't respond, which led me to no choice but to kick him --_literally kick him_-- off the bed, but pain immediately shot through my body and I grinded my teeth to keep myself from screaming.

"I told you so," he muttered.

"Shut up you vain, spoiled, fanged little-"

He hit my face with a pillow before taking it hostage and curled his legs closer to his chest.

"Rabbit," I finished, now entirely vexed and I glared lividly at him.

_Oh if looks could kill..._

"This is so awkward…" I muttered in irritation.

No response.

"Don't make this a new habit of yours. I can guarantee you that tomorrow you'll be sleeping in your own damn room."

Still no response.

"If you start snoring I will drug you with my medicine."

And still no response.

"Faggot! Move over! You're hogging the bed!"

"You're the fat ass—_yeow_!"

I had kneed him in the stomach for that remark.

His head lifted off the pillow and he shot me a peeved, tired glare. "Woman! I'm trying to sleep!"

"Go to your room then!" I hissed.

"No!" he declared and he forced me to back into the corner where my bed met the wall, but I wasn't giving up.

"I kick in my sleep! And I promise to aim in low places!"

He laughed full heartedly. "You're ridiculous."

"How would you feel if you were in my position and I was sleeping in your bed?"

He gave me a perverted grin. "Is that a promise too?"

"_**I'M GOING TO KILL YOU**_!"

"Just shut up and go back to sleep."

Needless to say, he won the battle because within seconds the bastard was asleep and nothing I did woke him up. I sighed in frustration, too weak and tired.

_Note to self: Make sure you aim the gun at his head the next time._

I made a wall between him and me out of the stuffed animals I was given for my birthday and as I was making the wall, my hand brushed passed his, causing me to shiver. He was so cold. I stared at him, then at his freezing hand and shrugged. It was probably one of the many perks of being a vampire. No body heat whatsoever. And all the more better to build a wall! He has no right to steal my body warmth!

I curled up within my blankets, hiding my neck from view and I kept my eyes on him to ensure he didn't do anything stupid while he slept. I took a deep breath through my nose and caught a strange yet oddly familiar scent. It belonged to him. Aidou's scent was clearly noticeable now since the room was covered in either my blood or my vomit. I wrinkled my nose, inhaling his smell of winter.

That's what he smelled like.

It was as if I had stepped outside on a January day and a harsh wind blew me away. His scent was cold, almost like giving my lungs fresh air. Funny how his personality reminded me of winter too. The season is normally spent in snow, with people happily playing around and singing joyfully to their fellow neighbors and friends. It was a carefree and fun season, and yet it could be ruthless and unforgiving too. Let me not forget that winter also brought frigid weather and death to nature.

I smiled to myself, happy with my observation.

_He's just like winter._

I spent hours staring at him, studying his childish face as he slept and I don't recall ever falling asleep so I was very surprised when I reopened my eyes and realized it was almost two in the afternoon.

Not as surprised and as horrified as the male prefect hovering ominously above me though, and it took me a while to realize that Kiren was standing behind him with an amused look on her face.

"WHAT IS _HE_ DOING?"

"Ummm…sleeping?" I grumbled tiredly to Zero, still half asleep.

"I know that! But why here? _With you_?"

"Don't look at me like that. I told him to leave and he never did. I even screamed," I defended myself.

Zero angrily picked up the sleeping vampire from his collar and threw him onto the floor. "GET OUT OF THIS ROOM!"

_Serves him right. _

Mr. Bunny groaned, curling into fetal position and only opened one of his eyes to see what was going on. "Why am I on the floor?"

I pointed at the peeved prefect. "His fault."

"Get out! Get out! GET OUT!" Zero demanded, pointing to the exit.

"But it was cozy," he pouted, gradually making his way back to the bed.

"I can't believe he actually forced you to sleep with him," Kiren quietly said to me while we ignored the hysterical, outraged voice of the prefect.

"Hey! I didn't force her!" Mr. Bunny joined us, also ignoring Zero.

"Really? I clearly remember saying 'Get out' and 'No,' " I frowned, realizing seconds later what she meant by that line and waved my hands in the air. "Wait, wait, wait! If you mean actually _slept_ with him, than no! I'm still a virgin! I mean unless he--_**AIDOU**_!"

"_I DIDN'T TOUCH YOU_!" he shouted in his defense.

"ZERO! I WANT THAT GUN!" But my outburst was ignored because Zero and Mr. Bunny began bickering, which resulted in having the Moon dorm leader to enter the bedroom.

Everything came to a complete silence. Mr. High-and-Mighty's eyes scanned the room and he found me. The look he gave me was not out of pity anymore, but a look of...gentleness? Despite the look though, I could feel fury starting to bubble in my chest but I kept myself under control.

He wasn't just a stuck up student anymore. Now I knew he was a vampire, and a powerful one at that or he wouldn't have such an affect on the other Night Class students.

"Aidou, what are you doing in Miss Fontana's room?" His eyes flickered to the blonde.

Mr. Bunny quickly stood up with his back straight and the atmosphere around him became strictly business-like. "I apologize Kaname-sama. It won't happen again."

"Please... leave the room." He said it so calmly and politely, but his commanding tone grated my nerves. "Everyone please leave the room."

They didn't need to be told twice. Within seconds, both Zero and Mr. Bunny were gone. Kiren gently waved her good-bye to me and promised to come back later. This left me alone with _him_.

"Well...that was interesting..." I muttered, feeling uneasy.

"My deepest apologies Miss Fontana. I hope he didn't make you uncomfortable," he said, taking a seat next to me.

"I can handle him just fine. He's the least of my worries," I told him.

I might be annoyed with the idiot, but I didn't want him punished by this...person.

He smiled and I wasn't sure if it was sincere. "I must apologize for not properly introducing myself the last time we encountered. My name is Kuran Kaname."

"Right," I said. I didn't bother introducing myself since he obviously already knew my name.

"How do you like it here?"

_Ah man, can't you just go away? _

"You mean in this room?" I asked, ignoring my previous thought.

He nodded his pretty little head.

"Err...it's okay. Kinda smells, but that would be my fault," I answered.

"Good. I was wondering if this room was suitable enough to keep a guest comfortable," he faintly smiled.

"It's fine."

He stood up and took my wounded hand. "It was nice meeting you Miss Fontana, but I must retire to my bedroom for the time being as well."

"That's fine. Good night--I mean afternoon," I said, feeling quite stupid.

"I'll be checking in again, however, I will announce it before coming."

"Thanks." I watched him walk to the door, which by the way, he doesn't look like he walks. He _glides._

He stopped at the door with his hand on the door knob and glanced back at me with another small smile. "I'm glad that you befriended him. He takes the peace treaty more seriously now."

I didn't answer him. I didn't know how to. After he was gone, I sighed in irritation.

"I hate polite people."

They just came across as frauds--as if they're hiding a sinister motive.

_And the Kuran was definitely someone who had other motives._

* * *

Most wouldn't believe Aidou would just 'climb into bed with her', but I disagree. He's a vampire _and_ a playboy. So this way he's keeping an eye on his territory and hogging her all to himself muwahahaha. (Author has had too much sugar, be warned) Oh, and the whole stripping scene...yea, that he wouldn't have done and he didn't (wasn't going to either). He was just teasing her...

I won't be able to update until maybe a month from now...or two weeks. I don't know yet. It's because the chapters are taking me forever to write and I'm being constantly distracted by my parents and brother (he hogs the computer as much as I do). -shrug- I could use a break since I've been updating every week...

Review :D


	15. Riddle me

Chapter fifteen: Riddle me

"How the hell can you listen to this crap?" I asked irritably, covering my yawn with my left hand.

"It's The Judds' song 'Love can build bridges'," Mom answered, smiling to herself as she fixed her hair in the mirror that was in the corner of the room. Thank God I couldn't see myself. I would have freaked at my unkempt appearance since my abduction.

"Yea, it can build bridges all right, and jump over it and die violently," I remarked sarcastically.

She gave me an irked glare. "You're so cheery in the morning."

"You're at fault here. It's nine A.M.," I said tiredly. "Were you expecting roses and candy?"

She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Just behave until I return from church."

"Right, so you're giving me permission to vex people afterwards," I grinned playfully, toying with the stuffed animal zebra.

She didn't respond since she was too occupied with her appearance, so I turned my attention onto the bald man sitting next to the window. To my dismay, Mr. Tampon would be babysitting me until Mom returned. All of his clothes were black today, which I was guessing was his normal attire, and he had a hat on his head to cover up the baldness.

_If I could be any X-Men character, which one would I be and why?_

My first answer was Jean Grey. The woman had it all—red hair, power, men who wanted her and beauty. Right now, if I was the Phoenix mutant, I would make Mr. Tampon deteriorate slowly so I could hear him scream. But then I started to rethink my decision and came up with the conclusion that if I had all that power, I'd go nuts simply because I have no self-control. When I get mad, I get mad and I blow up. End of story. There is no calming down unless Erica is—_was_—beating the crap out of me. So I voted to be Cyclops instead. At least I get to blast Mr. Tampon into oblivion.

I forced myself to smile to refrain from blurting out insults and death threats to the bald man.

"Seriously Mom, please shut it off," I pleaded.

She blinked at me, a blank stare on her face. "Does country music really bother you that much?"

"You have no idea," I grumbled, shooting Mr. Tampon a glare. He had a simple, small smile on his face as if he now had black mail.

"Okay, well, I suppose it's better than choir music," she muttered, pressing the off button on the radio.

"Are you sure that you'll be able to get in the church?" I questioned her curiously.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you're a vampire," I answered.

She chuckled. "That doesn't mean I'm not welcomed in God's house. I was a human before."

"Right," I replied, uncertain.

A Catholic vampire going to church…how ironic. A part of me wanted to laugh and the other part of me wondered what would happen if she dipped her finger into holy water.

I pouted. "Can't you bring him with you while you're invading a church?"

"No, the Night Class are asleep and Touga-kun is busy searching for the escaped criminal. The Guardians are in class, so I told them that Adam would be glad to watch over you," she smiled sweetly.

"Glad to watch me, eh?" I said sarcastically.

"Yes, we'll have plenty of fun," he said quietly.

"And what about the Headmaster, hmm? Doesn't he want to get to know his daughter?" A small vein pulsed near my temples.

Mom walked towards me and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Because he's an idiot."

"He's an idiot, you're an idiot, I'm an idiot--I see how we're related."

She gave me a stern look. "To be honest with you darling, I think he's afraid of you."

"And has every damn right to be," I commented snidely.

She frowned. "You could try to be nice."

"Aww but you'd take all the fun from it!"

She placed her hands firmly on her hips, causing me to roll my eyes.

_Brace yourself! Here comes the lecture!_

"Serena Fontana, you're just as afraid as your father."

I scoffed. "Afraid of what?"

"Of rejection," she hissed.

I raised an irritated eyebrow. "Do enlighten me."

"Your father is afraid you'll shun him and you're afraid that he'll shun you, which is why you're doing it first so you won't have to deal with it," she sighed, becoming less tolerant of my attitude.

"Thank you Dr. Phil," I rolled my eyes and scowled.

"UGH! You two are like two peas in a pod!" Mom barked, referring to me and my father.

"More like two nuts in a shell," Mr. Tampon mused.

Mom and I both glared at him, causing him to shrug it off indifferently.

A knock sounded on the door and Kiren's head poked in as if she was waiting for permission. "Good morning."

A grin was instantly planted on my face. "It's a good morning now! Don't be shy! Come in!"

Kiren grinned humorously as she entered the room with a tub of vanilla ice cream in one hand, and two spoons and chocolate syrup in the other hand.

As she handed me the ice cream, I squealed in delight. "There is a God and her name is Kiren! I love you! _Will you marry me_?"

She blushed and stared at me in surprise with huge emerald eyes. "Uh…Serena-chan…"

Mom snatched the ice cream, causing me to pout childishly. "Serena, you know what this will do to your weight!"

"Mom, all I've had since I was kidnapped is soup. If I don't eat something fattening once in a while I'll become a twig and you'll see my rib cages! And that's not healthy either!" I argued, snatching back the ice cream. "Besides! It contains milk!"

"So drink actual milk!" she scowled, taking it from me again.

"Listen here, woman!" I growled, snatching it from her for the second time. "I'm not going to fret over my body weight! Why? Because when I get older and fatter, I'll get sick with something serious and then I'll lose all that fat because of it and then die. So my suggestion to you is to eat what you want before death deprives you of it!"

"Wow, you have a way with words, Serena. Such poetry," Mr. Tampon rolled his eyes.

"Shut up baldy."

Kiren frowned, putting a finger to her upper lip. "I don't know Serena-chan, your mother has a point."

I glanced at her in despair. "Oh no, she has corrupted you my beloved! Quick! Stick your finger in Heaven's perfect gift!"

Kiren giggled, but accepted the ice cream –not that she had a choice—when I shoved it back into her hands after stirring the chocolate syrup in and licked my spoon as she tried it.

Her eyes perked up and she smiled innocently. "It _is_ good."

I heard Mom sigh and watched her as she lifted her hand to forehead in frustration. "Fine, but once you're able to move again, I'm putting you back into shape."

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes because technically speaking she was only supposed to remain here until I was all healed. The bottom half of my body had completely healed, so now I was just waiting for my ribs to stop hurting. My broken fingers were okay, a pain in the ass to use, but they were okay.

Only three more weeks to go!

"So what are you doing here, Kiren-chan? Don't you have class?" Mom questioned the guilty looking student. "You're not skipping, are you?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No, I just…told the teacher that I would be late."

I blinked. "And he was okay with that?"

A tiny smile formed on her face. "He kinda had no choice…I left right afterward."

"Right, well, I think it's time for you to return to class," Mom insisted, her tone became demanding. "And you, don't eat all that ice cream."

"Yes Mom," I replied routinely with the spoon in my mouth.

"Make sure to denounce the Devil once you reach the church's grounds," Mr. Tampon said gruffly.

"Oh I don't think that will be necesary," Mom chuckled.

"Yea, wouldn't want to upset anyone until you know where you're going, eh Mom?" I teased.

"Serena..." She used her warning tone.

"Right, right. May the power condemn you!" I shouted in mock glee.

Mom stared at me, a bit confused. "I think you meant to say 'The power of Christ compels you.' "

"Right," I rolled my eyes.

I watched Mom shoo Kiren out of the room, waving as she left and I waved back. I smirked to myself. I knew those two would be best friends, the perfect mother and daughter. Shame she had me instead. With Kiren and Mom gone, that left me with the man I wanted to murder. We glared—okay, I did the glaring—at each other silently until he decided to talk.

"You know she said not to eat all of that ice cream," he said casually to break the menacing silence.

I shrugged indifferently. "Wouldn't be the first time I disobeyed."

"She's not going to happy with you," he warned.

I made an ugly face at him.

"And you really need to improve your attitude. It's not healthy to always be so negative and cruel to your elders. It makes you a horrible person," he said as I aggressively attacked my ice cream with my spoon.

"Awww, you flatter me Mr. Tampon."

He sighed and mumbled under his breath, "No guy in their right mind would have kids."

"Yes! I shall never be pregnant! Wait, no, that's a lie," I sighed in mock pity. "It's too bad that most men think with their penises, eh?"

"She _really_ wouldn't approve of this," he retorted and he took the tub of ice cream from me, causing one of my eyebrows to lift to challenge him.

"I still don't approve of you and yet you're still here. Alive too. _Shame_," I sneered while licking the chocolate syrup off the spoon.

He suddenly smirked devilishly and I automatically knew he was going to say something to piss me off.

"You've got some friend there," he jeered. "She's already replaced Erica it seems."

Before he could even blink, I had a syringe filled with air not even centimeters from his neck and my left hand had a tight grip on his ear. His eyes flickered to me, wide with disbelief.

I glowered hostilely at him and seethed through my teeth. "I may appear fragile or even come across as a joker, but this needle filled with air is all I need to kill you."

He chuckled suddenly, still not taking me seriously and gave me a cynical grin. "Where did you learn about air embolism?"

"Don't mention my friends again," I snapped.

_I am a child of wrath. Fuck pride and lust-- give me wrath!_

"As you wish," he said heedlessly, but when I didn't release him, he added, "Anything else you want to say?"

"Stay the fuck away from my mom," I ordered.

"Ah huh. I can't do that. I have been instructed to kill her when her time comes," he smiled, mocking me with those blasted perfect set of white teeth.

I pressed the needle closer to his skin, close enough to puncture him. "She is mine. My blood, my mom, my responsibility. The woman who gave me life, and I will take hers. Got that?"

He kept his corrupted smile. "We'll see."

Despite the fact he didn't promise me he'd leave her in my hands, I released him and pushed on the needle to let the air escape, and hid the potential weapon underneath my pillow.

"You've healed quite nicely--must be because of that vampire boyfriend of yours."

"_**Asshole**_," I hissed, wishing I hadn't ruined my hands earlier so I could strangle him. "Do you have a death wish?"

He put up his hands above his chest to defend himself. "Touché."

"Get the hell out of my room," I growled.

He chuckled heartlessly. "I don't know what's more entertaining—pissing you off or banging your mom."

Before I could reach out and strangle the fucker, ruined hands be damned, blood suddenly appeared on his neck and when I looked behind him I found the source. Zero had cut him with a small curved knife, and he looked so murderous that I had gulped and backed away.

"You are dishonoring the Fontana family and the Chairman with your insensitive insults. Leave before I report you to the Dorm Leader." His voice was cruel and had the intent of slicing off his head.

Mr. Tampon's hand immediately went to cover the cut as to not draw the other vampires to my bedroom. He fumed in his anger and humiliation that someone younger than he outmatched him.

Yet he managed to smile unkindly too. "I'll take my leave since you're here."

Just before he reached the door, I told him to watch his back. He turned around to make a remark, but stopped when he noticed my own homicidal glare.

"I will kill you one day," I promised.

He laughed disdainfully. "You don't have the strength or courage to kill someone."

Zero stepped in front of him, offered him another cold glare.

"Motsies, you are forgetting that she attends the Cross Academy—a school filled with vampires, and she's befriended many of them. Most won't need any persuasion to kill you…just a simple request," Zero, who had suddenly vanished from my sight and reappeared next to Mr. Tampon, whispered into the man's ears.

His voice was uneven when he responded to Zero. "We'll see…vampire."

He swiftly left the room, leaving the door opened.

Zero turned to me with an aggravated expression on his face. "He's more annoying than your father."

"I wouldn't know," I snorted. "So, who are you and what have you done with the real Zero?"

He frowned, a bit confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you don't normally threaten people for me."

"As I recall Kiren stating one day while you were gone, 'friends are people who despise the same people you do'."

Both of my eyebrows shot up in surprise. "She said that?"

He nodded, his shoulders relaxing. Then realization smacked me.

"I'm sorry, but did you just admit that we're friends?" Just as I was about to get my journal out to actually record the day, hour, and time, he appeared instantly at my side, startling me.

"HEY! DON'T DO THAT TO ME!" I shrieked.

"I came here because your father was worried about your academics…how is the make up work going?"

"It's…_going_," I told him ineptly.

"In other words, you've been procrastinating," he frowned.

"You said it, not me. So don't tell my brain. What it doesn't know won't hurt it."

"What?"

"Nothing. I just can't understand any of it. My brain is so drugged up that even the simplest forms of math and Japanese sentences look complicated," I sighed pitifully, handing over my schoolwork.

He took it from me and his eyes immediately started to scan for mistakes. "You're right. You're brain dead."

"You have such hope in me that it makes me sing with glee."

"I suppose it's not over till the fat lady sings?"

I whined immaturely. "Why is everyone picking on my weight? I ought to feed you to the rabid rapists."

He blankly stared at me. "You do realize that the fan girls are more afraid of me than I am of them?"

I scowled darkly. "Never mind. Just fix it and be gone."

"I don't even understand what you wrote."

I smirked idiotically. "That's because what goes on in my brain doesn't always make sense on paper."

He made an annoyed face and held up the paper to me. "Explain what you did."

"Awww, do I really have to?" I pouted.

"Fontana…"

"Okay, okay, chill out."

Thus we began a time-consuming lecture about math and after two hours I finally had everything squared away.

_God, did I just say squared away? I've been brainwashed! By math!_

"Fontana," Zero started to say before leaving my room.

"What?"

"I will be the one to train you once you're well," he informed me.

I stared at him, nearly shocked. "You're kidding."

"What kind of weapon are you good at handling?"

"Umm…needles?" I guessed, thinking that I should probably put the needle that was underneath my pillow on top of the table before I slept, or I might accidentally stab myself.

"Needles won't be good in battle since Vampires rarely suffer pressure points," he frowned.

"Well…uh…" I scratched my head thoughtfully and came up with a blank.

"Have you used anything in your past that could be used as a weapon?" he questioned, sighing as he did.

"I played softball using a baseball bat…does that count?"

He actually smiled.

_Run and hide, people, run and hide._

"That's fine. When you're in better conditions, we'll start, but Sensei will ask you a question before you do," he informed me. "And I'll be back to check on your work and I better see some improvement."

"As much as a drugged mind will do!" I replied with a grin.

He rolled his eyes and muttered something about me being a weirdo. Why do they always say that like it's new?

He paused again at the door, drumming his fingers on the wall next to the door.

"If you want to say something, then say it," I told him, checking over my math work.

"Why...do you trust me?" He sounded unsure of himself. "You know I'm a vampire, and yet you still treat me like a friend."

"Because I'm too nice," I answered bluntly.

"Be serious Fontana."

"You don't think I'm nice?" I pouted.

He narrowed his eyes impatiently. "You and nice don't belong in a sentence together."

"You're so charming that I could barf."

"Just answer the damn question."

I shrugged, now looking at him. "I don't know. I mean...you've had chances to attack me but you never did. Not even when I was at my weakest. I think that counts for something."

He briefly stared at me until he gave me a small, boyish smile. "I'll see you later."

* * *

"So I hear that you want to be trained," Yagari-sama smirked and he grabbed a chair to sit with me. "How's the homework?"

"Sucking big time," I grunted and I threw the economics book on the bed. "Personally, I think they're the real vampires. They drain you to the point that you can't function."

He chortled. "That's a new way of putting it."

"And you heard right. Zero is going to train me," I smiled. "But he said you wanted to ask me something first."

"Ah," he sighed, sounding tentative. "There's something I do have to ask you."

"Spit it out then," I told him, not wanting to waste more time.

"There's a riddle you have to solve and I ask it to every potential vampire hunter," he explained.

"But I don't want to be a vampire hunter. I just want to kill my mother…as bad as that sounds," I mumbled.

He smiled sadly. "That doesn't mean I can't question you. I have to be sure you're a good candidate."

I frowned, wanting to argue with him but I knew I wasn't going to win the debate. "Fine. Riddle me."

"You can't have any outside help on this Serena. Not from Zero, Aidou, Kuran, Darako, your Mom or your Da-"

"I get the picture," I interrupted, scowling.

"And you have a week to solve it," he finished.

"Fine."

_"Silent shadow stalking. _

_Sly slithering serpent._

_Skeptical straying spirit. _

_Shivering sick skeletons. _

_Sadistic smiling scelerat. _

_Survive sinister surprises. _

_Suppress Sorcery."_

Catching my puzzled expression, he explained even further. "Each line represents something that you have to overcome and in the end everything ties in together."

I groaned, deeply regretting my decision.

He put up his hands in his defense. "Up to you."

I sighed, shrugging. "I'll figure it out later. My head is running on empty."

He nodded and got up to leave. "Take your time…you've got seven days."

"How's the search on Miss Pinky?" I asked and he growled sourly.

"Not good. We can't find her and we suspect that she might have left the country to rejoin her family."

I blinked curiously. "She has family outside this country?"

"The Bokyo clan is a scattered family. After your clan attacked them back in the old ages, they fled to other countries in fear. The Heolstor clan was a feared and respected clan, even though it's mostly consisted of humans now," he informed me and cleared his throat. "We think they're taking refuge in Switzerland or Russia. They don't even attend to the Council of Ancients meetings anymore."

"So…hang on…you said my clan is consisted 'mostly' of humans now…does that mean that there are still a few vampires left in my family?" I inquired curiously yet I felt strange at the same time. It was kind of exciting.

_I mean I could have a vampire for a great-great-great grandmother._

"You should ask your mother instead."

"Oh my God! I do have vampires in my family!" I shouted.

"Don't get overexcited Serena, you'll probably meet them one day anyway," he said, patting me on the head like I was a five year old. "Good luck solving it."

"Thanks," I grunted. "I'll need it."

"Oh and Serena, I heard what you did to Mr. Motsies."

"And?"

"No more public displays of cruelty," he said with a smirk.

"And I'll pretend that I didn't hear that," I answered roughly, folding the bed sheets over my lap.

I heard him chuckle and the door close when I picked up my book again, and then something rumbled. I blinked a few times and paused in my movements, thinking I might have created the noise, but after I heard nothing else I relaxed.

"The walls in this dorm burp..._fabulous._"

* * *

True to his word, Zero came around five P.M. to check my homework and wasn't too pleased with my progress.

"Not the brightest star in the sky, eh?" he said casually.

"Oh shut up."

"You're still not getting this right," he scowled, pointing at the incorrections on the worksheet.

"It's not my fault, okay? The Japanese language has way too many systems," I defended myself.

"This is basic katakana and kanji," he said. "And you're putting all the particles in the wrong places."

"All right smart ass," I growled. "Stop shoving my mistakes in my face and just go over it."

He sighed, frustrated. "This will waste my time."

"So sorry to be a pest."

"You're not truly sorry so don't apologize."

"Then quit your whining."

"I'm not whining," he snapped.

"Yea you are."

We glared at each other until he dropped the workbook on top of my lap.

"Write a few sentences and I'll watch. If I catch any mistakes, which I know I will, I'll explain why it's wrong," he replied calmly.

"Fine, but just to let you know, it's easier to speak a language than write a language," I told him, becoming cranky.

"I _do_ know. I've been studying English and Spanish," he muttered under his breath.

I ignored his last comment, too busy focusing on my drawings--I mean writing. To be honest, writing Japanese makes me feel like an artist. I have to do all the curves and strokes perfectly or they'll look like a different letter. Hiragana was the first writing system I learned, obviously, and it was actually pretty easy. Katakana was hard only because it's different from Hiragana and remembering it was a pain in the rear because I would confuse it with Hiragana.

Kanji...was just a bitch.

"You're doing it again." I heard him grumble.

"Doing what? I haven't even formed a sentence yet."

He sighed. "Give me the notebook."

"Why? I told you I'm not done yet," I argued.

"Just give me it."

"No."

"Fontana..."

"I said no. Wait till I'm done and then you can act all superior and fix my mistakes."

He narrowed his eyes at me to scare me. "Give. Me. The. Notebook."

"Shut. The. Hell. Up. And. Wait."

That started another glaring contest.

He ran his hand through his hair and stopped at his forehead. "Why are you so god damn stubborn?"

"Because I am," I grinned and returned to my work.

This was going to be a _long_ session.

* * *

I'm watching myself cook in the Skylar's kitchen. I don't remember what exactly I'm brewing but it smells good. I had Erica's iPod in my left hand and the music was blasting through the earphones. I could hear the music from where I was standing. The younger version of myself suddenly burst into song while waving the spatula wildly.

"At first when I see you cry it makes me smile—yea it makes me smile. At worst I might feel bad for a while, but then I just smile. I go ahead and smile."

Right as I did a really strange, childish dance to the song, Mrs. Skylar entered the kitchen and studied me suspiciously. I stopped singing after I noticed she was observing me.

"What?" I asked, trying to pretend I hadn't been dancing or singing. Only Erica has ever heard me sing before.

She smirked, taking the spatula from me. "You used to be such a sweet, little angel…_what happened_?"

The younger version of me laughed along with her.

I sighed, watching them from where I stood until I realized that Mrs. Skylar's face was deteriotating. Within seconds, I was staring at the dead Mrs. Skylar. I screamed loudly, jerking in my bed and fell off the bed with a crashing sound. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was still safely trapped in the Moon dorm. I breathed heavily, trembling and I stroked my arms to soothe myself.

_**CREAK**_

My head snapped up, catching a glimpse of shadowy figure on a black wooden horse that was rocking back and forth. The clouds outside moved past the moon and the moon's light was abruptly dumped into my room, revealing the figure to be a child-sized doll. It sat on the wooden horse with her legs on each side of it, staring at me. She had black, bouncy curls and horrid violet, cat-like eyes. A crooked smile was on her round, chalk white face as she rocked on the horse, which was creating the creaking noises.

"Oh, I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life," I muttered under my breath, loudly breathing in and out. I studied the doll, her hands wrapped around the neck of the horse, and visibly twitched when I saw her head tilt slowly to the right and she grinned.

Needless to say I started shrieking.

I was so fixed on the doll that I didn't even realize who barged into my room. Strong arms picked me up and I felt something thin and sharp puncture the skin on my arm. I slumped onto the floor, finally noticing the needle that medicated me and found myself blankly staring at the blonde vampire from an upside down angle.

"Serena…?" Mr. Bunny's voice questioned me lightly, as to not provoke any more violent spasms.

I whimpered in response, feeling incredibly woozy and Mr. Bunny forced me to sit in his lap, moving my head so I wouldn't be looking at him. My head slumped forward so that my hair covered my face, but through my bangs I could see that the doll was still there. It was half covered in shadows due to the cloud's traveling.

The muscles in my legs and arms tensed and I drew in a quick breath.

"Serena, calm down." The vampire placidly and patiently caressed my back. "You were just having another panic attack."

I retreated into his embrace, feeling more secured there. "There's a doll in the room."

He tried to force me to look at him in the eyes but I refused to move my head. My eyes were concentrated on the doll, which was still rocking back and forth, and I was half expecting her to wave at me.

He followed my gaze and frowned in concern. "Serena, there's no doll in this room."

"Yes, there is," I replied curtly.

"No there isn't," he sighed, a hand going through his hair.

"GOD DAMN IT HANABUSA! I'M NOT LYING!" I shouted, nearly hitting him with my elbow.

Naturally he dodged it, but he was studying me more carefully.

"What does it look like?" he asked, but I wasn't paying attention.

The disturbing creaking sound had stopped and I couldn't see the doll anymore. The horse was still there but it had no partner.

_Where was the doll?_

Unable to move because of the drug he gave me, I cowered in the vampire's arms. Sensing my discomfort, he picked me up in a way a groom would pick up his bride and placed me gently on the bed. For once I was grateful that his body was cold because mine was starting to feel feverishly hot and his body stole that heat, relaxing the sickening feeling in my stomach.

"Serena, what does the doll look like?" he repeated himself and the creaking sound started again.

As I kept my eyes on the doll, that was on the bloody damned horse again, I described her to him.

"I don't see her," he stated in a practical tone.

"Is there a slight chance that Kaede's ability is to create illusions?" I snapped, not liking his doubting tone and remembering Mom's words.

Level B vampires have powers.

He shook his head. "Kaede is known for her voice."

I propped a questionable eyebrow at him, forcing him to explain that the pink haired vampire was able to control people through the use of her voice. From the way he described it, it sounded as if she was a siren, singing to her victims to lure them to their doom. I sighed tiredly—it was three in the morning—and he leaned down to the point where he was getting really close to my forehead. Uncomfortable with him being too close, I sunk deeply into my bed to put more space between us and fidgeted.

He cocked his head, eyes suddeny red as if he was testing me. "Are you afraid of me?"

I growled to sound more confident. "You're an ass. I just got medicated—of course my nerves are going to be jittery!"

He didn't respond…just kept staring at me with those eyes. I was becoming more uncomfortable by the second, and the doll being there didn't help my case at all.

He was suddenly past my face and whispering into my ears, "Don't be afraid of me Serena."

I didn't utter a sound as I was too nervous to do so and I was trying my best to cover my neck... but then he began to nuzzle my ear.

"I'll protect you." His voice wasn't seductive nor possessive, but protective and reassuring. It caused all the tension in my muscles to cease and the nervous, fluttering bird in my chest to stop flapping its wings.

_God damn him. _

_Wait no, isn't he already damned? _

He left me a peck on the forehead and got up to leave, however, I grabbed his wrist and sat up. I placed his hand against my forehead, not wanting to look at him in the eyes and all my blood rushed to my cheeks in embarrassment.

After mustering all of my guts, I finally mumbled, "Stay."

"Huh?" He sounded surprised—not that I blame him. I was surprised myself, but there was no way in hell I was staying alone in this room with a frickin' disturbing doll and it's not like I can go camp out in his room.

I rolled my eyes. "Please stay?"

"I can't stay. Kaname-sama—"

"Plllleeeeaasseee stay?" I whined.

I watched him blink--his eyes were back to his normal blue hues--a few seconds in his confusion. "Why do you want me to stay?"

"Gawd damn it Hanabusa, I just said please and I practically begged. Does it really matter?"

He had the nerve to chuckle. "Yes, it does, because you _never_ beg me or say please."

"Fine. Go back to your room," I growled stubbornly and threw his hand away, and lied back down on my bed, facing the wall.

I heard him sigh in frustration and walk away, but he never reached the door.

"Move over," he commanded, standing next to the bed.

I did as I was told and scooted closer to the wall to make room. He climbed into the bed, remaining over the covers and once again stole my pillow. "If Kaname-sama asks—"

"I'll say I blackmailed you and forced you to stay," I butted in, trying to pry my pillow out of his hands.

He furrowed his eyebrows, giving me half of the pillow to lay my head on. "Blackmailed me with what?"

"I don't know yet but I'll improvise."

He snorted, closing his eyes. "Hope you're good at it. You know, I don't understand you sometimes...most of the time..."

"If it helps you any...I don't understand myself _at ALL_," I smirked.

The doll and the horse disappeared the moment he accepted my offer.

* * *

I woke up at seven in the morning, hearing something crack and I immediately snapped into a sitting position. I looked in the corner of the bedroom where the doll had been the last time I was awake, but I found myself staring at Kaname standing close to the door. He was beyond annoyed, appearing more upset that the blonde vampire had disobeyed his orders. He lifted his right hand up and his eyes became more reddish.

"Leave him alone," I snapped hurriedly, eying his hand and wondered what he had planned to do with it.

_Purebloods are not to be trusted._

Kaname stopped abruptly and stared at me as though I had been stupified. Yet moments later he tilted his head in a pleased way, a teasing smile on his face and he questioned me in a polite tone.

"You're protecting him, Miss Fontana?"

"I asked him to stay," I scowled, sleepy and annoyed.

He stared at me again, as if he was making sure he had heard right and a few seconds later he nodded his head. "Very well, good night."

He gently closed the door behind him and I sighed heavily, thankful he didn't go berserk. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, taking in my surroundings.

The disturbing doll and horse: gone.

Peeved Pureblood: gone.

Mr. Bunny: Currently taking all the blankets.

The last time I checked he was definitely _on top_ of the blankets.

He was curled up with his back against me, astonishingly not snoring though I suppose that might be because vampires don't breathe. I smiled gently, beginning to play with his hair and found it so soft that I couldn't help myself--I braided some of his hair.

"Serena," said a gruff voice a couple of minutes later. "Did you just braid my hair?"

"Ha, I knew you were awake," I smirked.

"Liar."

"No, you winced the first time I touched your hair," I argued. "I knew you were awake."

He turned over to playfully glare at me. "You _did_ braid my hair."

"Scoot over before I dye it pink too," I yawned and forced him to move when I gently shoved him.

I was, yet again, a little surprised at myself. Aren't girls normally more paranoid when a guy is in the same bed with them? And yet I don't feel anything but sleepy. When he moved over, I plopped myself next to him, burying my nose into his back and breathed in his scent.

_I've become an addict._

* * *

It was a week later that I got a visit from Takuma, and thankfully by then I had showered three times and was well groomed. To my surprise, he came to me while it was during the early afternoon and he was grinning like a nut case too.

"Takuma, are you absolutely positive that you're a vampire?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He grinned. "You're not the first person to ask me that."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," I smirked. "So how are you? I haven't seen much of you."

I think Takuma is the only polite person who doesn't get on my nerves--at least not anymore. Seeing him with Kiren left a positive imprint on me. A friend of Kiren is a friend of mine. I trust her judgment, not mine.

"Thought I would keep you some company since I couldn't sleep...my mind has been too active lately."

"Active?" I questioned him curiously and spotted a box of chocolate Poxie...or was it Poxy? I couldn't really tell from where I was sitting.

"Yes, I've been reading this new Manga and it's been driving me insane. I'm trying to figure out the next chapter--usually I can predict it since the authors are so stereotypical, but this one really--"

"Has you wrapped around its book covers," I interrupted, chuckling.

He laughed joyfully and it made me feel weird. Vampires were not normally this jolly...maybe he was a half-breed?

"So...what would you like to chat about then?" I changed topic.

He yawned, shrugging slowly at the same time and he appeared a little clueless as to what to discuss. "Well there's always drama to talk about."

I blinked. "Drama? What drama?"

Very, _very_ stupid question.

"Kiryuu-kun loves Yuuki-chan who is engaged to Kaname-sama who is adored by Ruka who is loved by Akatsuki who is the cousin of Hanabusa." He took a deep breath. "And Hanabusa is the playboy of the Nightclass so he naturally attracts a lot of ladies except you..."

"Oh I bet Jerry Springer would have loved to have worked here," I muttered under my breath.

"Who?"

"Never mind, so...Zero loves Yuuki, huh? I didn't see that coming. Or the part that she's getting married to Mister..." I stopped, guessing that he respected the pureblood too and I didn't feel like getting an earful about him.

He smiled. "I'm surprised to hear you say that. His fondness for her is quite noticeable."

"Yea, well, I've been occupied," I yawned.

His face suddenly darkened. "How are you feeling these days? Not depressed, are you?"

"No...I'm fine," I replied reassuringly.

"Good," he responded swiftly.

I blinked a few times. "Takuma...something seems to be bothering you and you're not talking about it."

_At least that would explain his odd behavior. A man who laughs the most, cries the most behind a mask._

A calm, sincere expression settled on his face. "I'm doing well, Miss Fontana. Thank you for your concern."

"Liar," I said boldly.

There was no response and as the silence grew longer, I began to feel more awkward and suspicious.

"You know Takuma, if there's something bothering you feel free to vent about it. I don't mind. Even if it's about a manga," I told him patiently.

A slow smile graced his features. "You're very kind, Miss Fontana, but my problems are not yours to solve."

"And yet you came to visit me to talk," I sighed, narrowing my eyes. "I say you're confused on what to do."

He shook his head slightly. "I came here to check on you."

"Orders from the Kuran?"

"Yes and no. I wanted to see you myself," he stated firmly.

I swear these people live for awkward moments.

"Right, well, I'm fine," I mumbled, the blush still on my cheeks.

He gave me a curt nod. "Then I'll be heading back. I'll give news to Hanabusa. I assume he hasn't been in this room since you allowed him to stay over?"

"Yep. He hasn't been punished, has he?"

"No, just kept busy," he answered, another smile playing on his lips. "I'll go now. Good luck with your studies, Miss Fontana."

"Thanks but Takuma...just call me Serena. You don't have to be so formal. I'm not royalty or whatever."

To be honest, being called by Mom's maiden name felt really odd. Rather like I was a property to the family instead of my own person.

"Very well, Miss Serena," he said and he left before I could say anything else.

* * *

I don't own the song "Smile" by Lily Allen.

_Air embolism:_ When you put too much air (making air bubbles) in an artery, you can create severe damage to your body. And it can go as far as a stroke or death.

I played on Serena's positive traits in this chapter, such as her ability to observe people's behavior and understand their issues (minus the love drama since she doesn't have experience with relationships), and permits others to use her as a vent for their emotions. So in basic terms, she's everyone's therapist. Anyone want to solve the riddle? o.O

Okay, so chapter sixteen is taking me forever to write. Be patient!!


	16. Hostile behavior

Chapter sixteen: Hostile behavior

Silent shadow stalking

Sly slithering serpent

Skeptical straying spirit

Shivering sick skeletons

Sadistic smiling scelerat

Survive sinister surprises

Suppress sorcery

Each line represents something I have to overcome and everything in the end ties together.

_I am going to go madly insane. _

_Okay, okay, think. _

I groaned, feeling my brain fume as I overworked it.

_Oh this is going to be a bitch_.

What could "Silent shadow stalking" mean? What are normally shadows? Does he mean vampires? Vampires aren't necessarily silent though…Okay, umm…sly slithering serpent…well that's definitely evil. Serpent has always meant evil. Skeptical straying spirit…skeptical means distrust and straying…betrayal?

"Great news Serena-chan!" Kiren barged into my room, nearly taking out the door and I jumped at the sudden noise.

Kiren released a small, apologetic gasp and held her hand over her mouth. "I am so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"

I sighed lightly, a bit annoyed but forced myself to smile to cover up my irritation. "It's fine Kiren. It's not like it takes much to scare me anyway."

"So what's the big news?" I asked curiously, closing yet another book.

"Well, Chairman Cross found—is something the matter Serena-chan?" She blinked, concerned.

I frowned, knowing that she had caught my scowl when she said 'Chairman Cross' but I shrugged indifferently in response. "No, go on. What did he find?"

She stared at me for a few seconds, probably debating upon whether to press me for more information or let it be, and then said, "He found a man—well, a boy…near one of the school's stables. The boy was unconscious but they think you know him."

One of my eyebrows perked up. "I know him?"

"He has a patch of skin missing from his arm, and according to Yagari-sama, they found a patch of skin where they found you," she explained slowly and I held up one finger to put her on pause.

"Did the guy have dark hair and other tattoos?" I asked, my tone skeptical and my voice was shaky.

I was trying not to sound too hopeful.

"Oh so you do know him!" she smiled, her eyes twinkling, but seconds later they widened in shock. "Serena-chan—what's wrong?"

She took a hold of my hand as I started to weep in relief.

_Jade was alive._

_

* * *

_

I bickered with everyone who came in to see me. Anyone who was _brave_ enough to see me.

I was a walking, talking _bomb_.

And with good reason.

They weren't permitting me to visit Jade because I wasn't in the best condition to move around and because they were treating him carefully. The logical side of me told me to calm down, be reasonable and allow him some rest. The other, screaming, part of me wanted to see him pronto. It wasn't till three days later did the Chairman finally agreed to let me see him, and when I heard the news I almost—_almost_—forgave the Chairman and called him father.

So here I am…with Yuuki _Cross_.

The prefect stood centimeters in front of me, suddenly very quiet and tentative, and she was walking at a snail's pace, which irritated me beyond belief. I was so accustomed to her bubbly behavior and hyperactive cheerfulness that her quiet, cautious behavior was getting on my nerves. I frowned, narrowing my eyes in annoyance at her back and folded my arms over my chest as I followed her to the room where Jade was being held. After ten minutes of the awkward and tense silence, I stopped walking and continued to glare at her. She, hearing the abrupt silence of my steps, paused and hunched her shoulders.

"You know, I don't hate you," I mumbled brashly, loud enough so she could hear me.

She turned to face me, an apprehensive expression on her face and I sighed loudly.

"Honest," I said, staring at the floor as if the pattern had finally captured my attention. "I don't hate you. I mean, yeah, he gave me up and adopted you instead, but I don't hate you."

A small, hesitant smile gradually welcomed me and she surprised me with a bow. "Thank you."

I felt myself twitch uncomfortably, feeling odd that she bowed and began walking past her.

I quietly, maybe even boorishly, muttered. "For what? It's not like you told him to leave me behind."

"Oh, so…you don't resent me, but you resent him."

"I have a lot to resent him for," I replied coldly, not appreciating her soft voice.

"He's not a bad father, Serena…a little strange and on the childish side, but a good father," she whispered, as if she didn't know whether or not it would have been a good idea for me to hear her, but I did hear her.

Courtesy of the heightened senses.

I stopped walking to shoot her a scornful smirk. "Maybe, but I wouldn't know that, now would I?"

She made no response but began walking again, leading me to Jade's room and she paused right in front of the door.

I wasn't ready to go in yet so I stalled.

"Say Yuuki, do you know that Zero is a vampire?" I questioned quietly so Jade wouldn't hear me, but I already knew the answer.

If Takuma had been telling the truth, which he was, then Zero would have told Yuuki that he was a vampire because of his feelings towards her.

"Yes…I do…" she answered slowly.

"So why aren't you afraid of him?" I asked, facing her now with curiosity. "And why are you engaged already? Aren't you a bit young?"

I was asking her personal questions on purpose. I wanted to see how much I could get away with asking and how guilty she felt. Normally, if a person felt guilty and was in her position, they would answer every question I blurted just because they felt like they owed me, but I was expecting something different from the female guardian of the school.

She sighed, appearing slightly nervous and switched her weight to her other leg.

"It's a rather long, complicated story that I do not wish to talk about right now…maybe a rain check?" Her voice sounded hopeful and a small smile was on her face.

I smiled back, approving of her answer. "Sure thing."

When I reached his door, I paused in front of it with one hand on top of the doorknob, feeling anguished.

_Was I ready to face him? _

Seeing him didn't just mean becoming certain he was all right-- it meant that I could get the facts straight.

How did it happen? I knew they were killed, but how were they taken…were they kidnapped from their own houses? When did it happen? Were there any last words? Did she hate me in the end? Did they hate me in the end? Did she regret being my friend, seeing how in the end it only led to her demise? How did he escape? How did he get here?

It was enough to trigger another panic attack.

It was, after all, my fault he was injured in the first place.

"Are you okay?" she inquired, interrupting my thoughts and placed one hand on my shoulder.

I sighed heavily, shrugging her hand off. "Yea…I think so…"

She opened the door for me since I was taking too long and I forced my legs to cooperate with me.

The guest room that Jade was staying in was completely dark. I could only see the navy blue curtains that were pulled over the windows and the blinds that were closed tightly because a tiny ray of sunlight was warming them. It was stuffy in the room to the point I wondered if he was able to breathe. I could smell blood and it was fresh, and it was driving my nose up the frickin' wall.

"Yuuki…how bad is he?" I asked, assuming that the blood belonged to him.

"They amputated his arm," she explained, her voice heavy. "The wound got infected so they had to remove it to save his life."

I bit deeply into my bottom lip to keep my tears in check; guilt rushing into my veins again and I could taste my own blood in my mouth. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes."

I sighed in relief, not feeling brave enough to talk to him right now. Especially in his condition. I took my time getting closer to the bed where an IV bag was hooked up to his left arm. His body was covered in bandages, caked with dirt and blood. I couldn't see his face. In fact, I probably wouldn't have recognized him at all if it weren't for his other tattooes. The more I observed him and his injuries the more I wanted to touch him just to convince myself that he was really in the room.

Saying that I cried would have been an understatement.

I bawled so much that moment that I put an infant's tears to shame.

Touching his greasy hair and his rough bumpy skin caused my body to shake with remorse but it lifted a weight off of my shoulders at the same time.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"

I heard the door close gently behind me and I couldn't resist anymore. Once Yuuki was gone, I rested my ear on top of Jade's chest to hear his beating heart, but I did it carefully so I wouldn't cause him additional pain.

_Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump._

It was a steady beat—the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

He was real.

He was here.

_And he was alive._

* * *

The sun's light didn't pour into my current residence like it poured into the room I had with Kiren. It stayed at one side of the room as if it didn't want to touch my skin until evening came crawling to me, slowly settling onto me. I stared out the window, watching the Night Class students head out for the 'exchange' period. Mr. Bunny had paused once before leaving and glanced behind him to wave at me, as if he had known that I was watching.

A part of me was disturbed that he, _in fact_, had known that I was watching, however, the other part of me was comforted by this fact. It was nice to have someone on your side who _somewhat_ understood you…even if it was a guy.

I knew that in the months to come I was going to become distant with Kiren, who knew nothing of vampires and therefore I wouldn't be able to talk to her about certain things that I knew would occur. And I knew that my bond with Jade was going to be very, _intensely_ complicated.

So even though Mr. Bunny was a vampire and that we argued a lot, it was still a relief to have someone who I could talk to.

It made me feel—_strangely_--connected to him. If not even the slightest dependent on him too.

So I waved back, half frowning and half delighted, and he joined with the rest of his classmates.

"Fontana, have you finished your homework?" Zero's voice interrupted my gazing. He stood impatiently at the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yea, it's all there," I answered, giving him my entire make up work and the new work that the teachers assigned to me.

He shot me a surprised look, completed with an arched eyebrow. "You managed to complete everything?"

I nodded solemnly, not wanting to explain to him for the sudden workaholic phase.

Jade's presence had tinkered my nerves, and to keep myself from worrying about him and thinking about all of the stressful questions that came along with him, I occupied myself with schoolwork, which did great wonders for me since I got the teachers off my ass.

"Shouldn't you be out there with Yuuki?" I asked, watching the other prefect scold the fan girls for pushing.

"She can take care of them herself," he reasoned.

I frowned, tapping my fingers on the window frame and I avoided Zero's face because I knew what he was doing. He was watching me silently, as if he was trying to analyze my behavior and peek into my eyes to see what was truly bothering me.

"This is your last night here," he spoke suddenly.

"Oh?" I said, sounding uninterested.

"The chairman wants you to return to your room tomorrow," he explained, keeping his tone lethargic.

"That's fine," I replied soberly.

"Any luck on the riddle?"

"I'm still working on it," I said.

Zero didn't say anything. He didn't have to. I could almost feel the waves of concern radiating off of him, but he left me alone with my thoughts and anxieties, returning to his prefect duties.

I was cleaning out the room and packing my medications when Mom showed up, and without a word she pulled me into a hug.

"Have much did you drink?" I frowned, though I didn't smell anything.

She playfully whacked me on the head. "I just wanted to hug you."

"I know and that's why I asked," I sneered and I turned to face her. "So what else do you want? 'Cause I highly doubt you came by just to molest me."

She frowned at me, offended. "I would never molest you."

"You just did."

She gave me a pointed glare.

"Okay, okay, so what's up? You usually have a lecture to go along with those few seconds of molestation."

"Serena," she said warningly.

"Am I allowed to joke?" I stuck out my tongue at her.

"I wanted to say thank you," she said quietly, giving me a lovingly stare and she gently removed the stray hairs out of my eyes.

"For what?" I questioned without looking. I suddenly became more focused on cleaning my room since I didn't want to accidentally leave anything behind. There was no way in hell I would come back to the Moon dorms just to get it.

"It's better to die in the arms of a loved one rather than in the arms of a stranger," she answered.

That definitely struck an extremely sensitive chord in me and that alone forced me to stop moving. We stared at each other until she finally gathered enough courage to continue her little speech.

"I'm glad that it'll be you," she said with a sad smile. "It will-"

"I'm going to kill him too, you know that right?" I interrupted coldly. "I honestly don't understand why you hired him in the first place. You should have just asked the Chairman."

Mom cleared her throat. "Serena, your Dad secretly provided me with…blood pills…for a number of years…however, my body began rejecting them…so I-"

"So Mr. Tampon has been giving you his blood instead?" I made a disgusted face. "Isn't that taboo?"

"It is, but it's working…but it'll be a matter of time before I'll no longer have any control over myself," she explained.

"So that's why you hired him? He was your lover at first and then he became your hunter…" I tried to reason.

"I hired him because he didn't want anyone else to do it," she said.

"Funny, the last time he and I chatted he didn't sound like he gave a damn about you," I snorted. "Just loved to fuck you."

She stared at me in disbelief, her face glowing with shame. "You…you know?"

"That you're sleeping with him?" I sarcastically laughed at her. "I had doubts at first, but he sure cleared that up."

She remained silent, which gave me the opportunity to take out all of the emotions that I had kept bottled up inside on her.

"Damn it Mom! _Why are you with him_? That **asshole** doesn't care about you! He just wants someone to fuck!" I yelled. "And you're like the perfect play thing he can have because as soon as he gets tired of you he won't even have to break up! Just slit your throat!"

_**WHACK**_

I'm starting to think I'm slightly masochist—what with all these slaps I've been receiving lately.

"You wouldn't understand," she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks and her face became puffy.

"Try me," I sniffed, massaging my left cheek.

"I was…lonely…okay?" she sobbed.

"Lonely? You had me!" I argued.

"It's different!" she snapped.

"How the hell is that different? I'm your fucking family! The only one you have left!"

She shook her head violently and mumbled, "It's different."

"How so?" I growled.

"You wouldn't understand. You never dated. You don't know what it's like to have a man---and that's what I wanted!"

"So you're saying that because I don't have a penis—that I didn't matter?" I retorted.

"What are you talking about? Of course you matter!"

"You just said that you needed a man! And I'm not a man! Which is the Chairman's fault because his stupid sperm said I was going to be a girl! I'M SO SORRY THAT I DON'T HAVE A PENIS AND THAT MY COMPANY WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!" I screamed hysterically.

"Did I come in at the wrong time?" Yagari-sama stood at the doorway, a hesitant expression on his face.

We glared at him and shouted at the same time, "LEAVE!"

We didn't have to tell him twice, but before he managed to scram I heard him mutter something about 'women and their monthly dues'. It was a good thing he was out of range because I would have shouted at him that my ridiculous argument with my mother had nothing to do with our 'monthly dues'.

We just needed a dumb reason to explode.

"I'M GOING BACK TO MY OLD ROOM!" I yelled at her and she stood up quickly, getting in my face.

"AND I'M GOING TO ADAM!"

"YEA! GO AHEAD AND CRY TO HIM!" I screamed at her as she practically ran down the hall.

"I'M NOT GOING TO CRY! I'M GOING TO SCREW HIM WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" She screamed back.

"THAT'S RIGHT! TELL THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD WHO YOU'RE SCREWING WITH! THAT'LL TEACH ME!" I screamed again, causing the halls of the dorm to echo with my words and a group of Night Class students stepped out into the hallway to see the commotion.

Their eyes landed on me.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU STARING AT!" I screeched and most the students returned to their rooms while others narrowed their eyes at me as if they wanted a challenge.

"Serena, are you ready to return to your dorm?" A polite, gentle voice questioned me and I turned to face Takuma, which explained why the vampires weren't attacking me.

I didn't even bother to smile at him and continued to glare. "Almost."

"Is there anything you want to do before leaving?" he inquired.

"Why the fuck do you care?" I snapped.

To my surprise, Takuma didn't show any signs at all of reprimanding me and kept his gentle smile. "Bad day?"

I felt a wave of calm come over me and I exhaled. "You have no idea."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"No," I grumbled. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go find a Pope."

He gave me a puzzled look. "Why?"

"Because I need him to exorcise my mind," I answered shortly.

He stared at me for a few seconds before asking, "Do I want to know why you want to exorcise your mind?"

"I have unholy images in my head, okay? Leave me alone," I growled, picking up the pace as I shoved my belongings into a plastic bag.

"…Unholy images…?"

"Mom. Adam. Plus a bed. Without clothes…need I say more?" I snapped, my eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

Takuma chuckled, holding his hands up in defeat. "No ma'am."

* * *

"I'm not letting you leave until I see you eat something," Kiren frowned. "This isn't like you…at all."

"I know," I groaned, not bothering to remove my forehead from the cool cafeteria table.

"You need to eat," she insisted, picking up my fork. "Come on, lift your head up. I'll force feed you if I have to."

I slowly shook my head from side to side and rejected the food. "No Kiren. Just...drop it."

"Serena-chan…" Kiren pouted and then she sighed. "Should I get you some juice?"

"No."

"Chocolate?"

"No."

"Ice cream?"

Kiren suddenly stood up, causing the chair to roll on its side. "All right! Who are you and what have you done to my Serena-chan? The Serena-chan I know would never refuse ice cream!"

"Relax Darako, just provide her with a knife and let her kill herself. She'll be doing the world a favor." I heard Asura's voice cut in, her tone spiteful.

Before anyone could blink I slammed my tray of food sideways so that when I did hit her, I got her entire face.

Blood began to spurt out of her nostrils, causing her to choke in shock and she glanced at me in horror. I was ready to hit her again when Zero caught my arm in mid-swing and dragged me away from my victim, but even though I was far away from Asura I could still hear her ridiculous shrieks.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I snapped, snatching back my arm.

"Fontana! Learn to control your temper!" he grunted, stalking after me as I tried to get away from him. "Are you listening to me?"

Truthfully, I wasn't.

I just wanted to get away.

* * *

I heard a sound. I'm not exactly positive of what it was, but it sounded akin to a baby's cry. I followed the noise, trusting my new ears and found myself staring at an enormous pile of trash. It was if the whole city had dumped their unwanted belongings into one area, judging by the piles upon piles upon piles of garbage, and it reeked.

Forcing myself to focus, I ignored the horrible stench of garbage and finally discovered what I was looking for.

It was a baby girl wrapped up in a trash bag and she was covered in blood, clearly indicating that she was newborn. She was wailing for someone to pick her up, arms just waving around everywhere and kicking her legs furiously to free herself of the trash bag.

"Oh my God," I said under my breath, wanting to pick up the child but too afraid to do so.

But I couldn't just leave her there.

I sighed in frustration, memories of my freshmen year pouring into my head. I was walking back home from school and a strange girl I never met before nearly knocked me over. After I yelled at her for being so rude, she took off running like she was about to be charged as a criminal. Ironically, after she left and I turned around, I found a trashcan on its side and there was a dead baby in it. Apparently the girl had left it there a week ago and came back to check on it to see if it was still alive. When she realized the baby had died, she took off running and she was probably afraid I would report her, which I did but she was never found.

The baby was buried soon after.

I cried bitter tears at the burial.

The stupid girl could have at least given the child to an adoption center. I mean what the hell was her problem? What did the baby ever do to her? She should have faced her damn responsibilities and consequences of having sex.

Stupid, stupid girl.

I shook my head to clear my mind, sighed and stared at the little baby in front of me.

What the hell was I going to do? Should I take her with me? Or should I just take pity on her and end her life here?

"You're having issues again," Damon's voice brought me out of my pondering.

I found him standing next to me, looking at the wailing baby girl with a kind, protective expression.

"You have the weirdest dreams when your mind is exhausted," he said with a hint of humor.

I stared at the baby and then back at him. "You mean to say that I'm just dreaming about this baby because I'm exhausted?"

"Sorta---the baby girl represents you." He poked me.

I stared at him in bewilderment. "Me?"

"Yes you, didn't I just say that?" he explained, frowning.

"Oh, I see what you're saying. I feel powerless to help, so I'm in baby form 'cause babies are useless and powerless," I muttered and the baby girl vanished, not to my surprise. "You know, sometimes I hate being logical."

My brother eyeballed me. "Why?"

" 'Cause I'm always right."

He rolled his eyes and pretended to sniff the air. "I smell ego."

"Good for you. I smell trash. Can you make it go away?" I frowned in disgust, pinching my nose with my fingers.

"It's your dream weirdo."

"Oh. Yea. Forgot about that," I mumbled and shook my head viciously.

With that, the entire scene became like a watercolor painting and I was sitting in a whole new area. I stood up and dusted my rear off, recognizing my location immediately and sighed sadly. I could hear the laughter of the deceased children behind me as I stared at him, seeing a younger, male version of my mother. He stared back at me, his pale, transparent body sat on an old wooden bench and he swung his legs playfully.

He was concerned.

"I'm fine," I told him, but I didn't sound too convincing.

"You're upset about Jade, you're angry with Mom, I can definitely tell you want to kill Mr. Tampon and you haven't forgiven Dad yet," he said. "I think that's far from fine."

"Stay OUT of my HEAD," I growled.

"I could help," he offered after a period of silence.

"Help me how?" I looked at him with a frown. "Jade's a mess because of me-"

"Oh I didn't mean I could help Jade. You're on your own for that one."

But I continued on as if I didn't hear him. "Mom's...not going to go there...Mr. Tampon is going to die. No ifs, ands or buts there. And-,"

"I wasn't arguing," he chuckled, cutting in again. "Mr. Tampon definitely deserves to be tormented."

"And I'm not going to forgive _the Chairman_ until he comes to talk to me! For crying fuck's sake! He has yet to come talk to me!" I shouted.

"I live in your head, Serena, you don't have to yell. It echoes in your head, did you know that?" Damon scowled.

There was a deafening pause of silence.

"Lots on your plate," he said.

I groaned, entirely frustrated and I felt like hitting something.

_Hard._

And then all of his comments hit me_._

"What do you mean I'm on my own when it comes to Jade?" I snapped.

He shrugged coolly. "I've never had a friend Serena. I wouldn't know what to do with him. Besides, what exactly do you have in mind?"

I sighed, throwing my hands into the air. "I don't know! Protect him?"

"Protect him from what? Who? How?"

I paused thoughtfully and then said, "Me."

Damon eyed me curiously. "Yourself?"

"I'm the one who got him into trouble," I answered sourly.

"It's not as if you ordered those vampires to attack him," he reasoned.

"Yea? Well I might as well have. I mean---_God_!"

He stared at me blankly. "Continue…"

"Well they attacked him because of me. _ME_! If he didn't know _me_ he'd be fine! He wouldn't be a target!" I began venting, my hands waving in every direction.

He sat silently, patiently waiting for me to finish.

"But he _**does**_ know me! And they _**are **_after him! _And I can't protect him from vampires by myself_," I cried, my voice turned into a pathetic wail. "I'm not strong enough."

"So what do you plan on doing?"

I bit my bottom lip, sniffing. "Tell him we're not friends anymore…?"

Damon laughed at me and patted me on the head. "Ah…good luck with that."

I snapped. "What do you suppose I do then?"

"How about solving that riddle so you can start your training?" he replied with a grin. "Or did you forget you had that option?"

I sighed in frustration, flopping myself back onto the ground and I sprawled myself out. "Forget it. The riddle is too complicated."

"_That's_ what I meant when I said I could help you."

I snorted scornfully. "No, Yagari-sama said no help."

He tilted his head to the right playfully. "Yagari-_sama_? That's the first time I heard you call someone by a respectful name."

"The man saved me twice… I can show him _some_ respect," I rationed and repeated to myself a line from the riddle, "Sadistic smiling scelerat."

"Well, that definitely means villain."

"Shut up!" I shouted, suddenly on my feet. "You're not supposed to be helping!"

"He said you couldn't get help from your parents or friends," he stated calmly. "Nothing about a dead brother."

I felt temptation squeezing my hand but I firmly shook my head. "NO! I'm not getting help!"

"But scelerat really does mean villain. So a sadistic smiling villain…that you have to overcome," he explained.

"DAMN IT! SHUT UP!"

"And a silent shadow stalking…" he continued, ignoring me.

"DAMON! STOP IT!" I shouted, covering his mouth with my hand, forgetting that the living people can't touch the dead.

"Why not? Think of me as a part of your conscious, which I am anyway."

"LALALA I'M NOT LISTENING! LALALALALA!" I screamed, covering my ears.

Damon, if it was actually possible, turned red in the face. "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? I SAID I'M A PART OF YOUR CONSCIOUS!"

I paused in my childish rant and stared at him, completely caught unaware. "I thought you were just a ghost?"

A vein appeared on his forehead. "Well, no, you see…if you were to see a psychologist, which I think would be a _great idea_ right now, they would tell you that the people in your dreams are actually a part of you."

"So you're basically inside my head?" I summarized, ignoring the therapy-needing comment.

"Yes, Serena, I live in your head."

_And it's off to the psych ward I go!_

Yet I couldn't help myself. "Scary place isn't it?"

"Nah," he smirked humorously. "Most of the time it's void."

"Smart ass," I retorted with a pout and sighed, giving in. "Okay, explain everything."

* * *

Okay! Thank God! I finally finished this chapter! I figured that even though I'm pro-choice, Serena would definitely be pro-life 'cause of her father's actions.

And yes, in psychology we are taught that the people in your dreams are actually a part of you and they're trying to teach you something or alert you to something.

The fight Serena had with her Mom was...childish and immature, but I'm pretty sure everyone has had one of those fights with their parents. And Serena's hostile behavior is influenced by her guilt and 'powerless' feeling.

I really don't like this website's new layout. It took me a while to figure it out.


	17. Blood Star

Chapter seventeen: Blood Star

"I heard from a little bird that you solved the riddle," Yagari-sama grinned unenthusiastically as he took a seat next to me.

"I don't think Zero would appreciate being called a bird," I replied coolly, not taking my eyes off my history book.

We were in the library and I was finishing homework because Kiren wouldn't leave me in peace. If I tried to do homework in my room, she would hover around me and ask me every few seconds if I needed anything. I know she's just trying to help me, but it got irritating and distractive.

"So…what's the answer?" he asked impatiently.

"What? You don't want to go somewhere private first?" I questioned him with an arched eyebrow.

"Nah, it's not that dangerous to talk about here," he waved me off.

I dropped the book onto the table gently. "Okay, well the first line 'silent shadow stalking' means death because death will always follow you and 'sly slithering serpent' is disease. I read up that people believed Hermes was the God of medicine and he used to have a staff that snakes would wrap themselves around. So I figured it'd be the opposite."

I paused to take a breather.

" 'Skeptical straying spirit' is obviously betrayal and 'Shivering sick skeletons' is loneliness because people aren't meant to be alone…I learned that the hard way," I rolled my eyes, remembering my mother's words when we argued. " 'Sadistic smiling scelerat' represents villains and I'm going to have loads of them, and 'Survive sinister surprises' which represents life because life just _loves_ to throw random chaos at you. 'Solarise sorcery' means to expose the supernatural."

There was a pause of silence.

"And?" he asked.

"And all of these represent fears that I have to overcome in order to survive," I replied.

Another pause of silence caused me to hold in my breath nervously. And then he started to clap.

"Job well done Serena, you're on your way!" he said with a crooked smile and I exhaled quickly in relief.

"Oh thank God 'cause I was sure that I was wrong and that I wouldn't-"

"Now I have one more thing to tell you before Zero starts to train you," he interrupted, causing me to frown.

Did he know? How could he know? He doesn't live in my head! Or can he read minds?

I blinked a few times. "Err…okay…"

"One more thing I want you to ponder about," he said, getting up from his chair. "Is it sinful to kill someone who kills?"

_That stupid question!_

My eyes bulged and I dropped my book, which landed on my foot and the crash landing caused me to howl. It was a seven hundred pages thick book---you'd be howling too. He watched me bounce around and seethe with amusement on his face until he checked his watch and decided it was time for him to leave.

_Was it sinful to kill someone who kills?_

* * *

"So you passed," he mumbled, his school jacket was hung over his shoulder in an I-don't-care way and he was chewing on a toothpick.

"Fabulous, isn't it? So when do I start?" I asked, sounding eager.

He glanced over his shoulder to peer at me and smirked. "Right now if you want. We're done with classes."

"But don't you have to help Yuuki?" I questioned, referring to the time of the 'exchange'.

"She can handle the horde of fan girls," he answered with a monotone voice.

"You keep saying that but it doesn't reassure me…" I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. "I know what those girls are like…"

"And so do I," he stated calmly and he sighed. "Follow me."

I folded my arms over my chest, debating whether or not I should wait for Kiren to show up so I could walk back with her to our room, but Zero seemed to be impatient today.

"Are you coming or what?" he inquired.

I frowned. "I'll be right back. Wait for me here."

He scowled. "Where are you going?"

I turned around to go back to the usual meeting place where I waited for Kiren, answering him sarcastically, "Going to walk Kiren back to our room."

He rolled his eyes. "Then I'll be here."

I didn't hear what he said last since I was already gone, waiting for Kiren to show up and when she did I smiled.

She waved, yawning at the same time. "I'm so tired."

"Yea, I hear you. But hey, Zero and I need to…settle some things so I'll be away for a little bit," I told her, not really knowing what exactly to say to her.

She blinked, appearing concerned. "Are you still in trouble with hitting Asura-san? You know, you really did overreact."

I scowled and exhaled loudly, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. "Yea, I know."

"Well I hope you're not being severely punished for it," she frowned with concern, pausing in front of our new bedroom door. "I'll see you later then, okay? Don't give Kiryuu-kun any attitude."

I nodded but didn't promise her anything and left before she could make me. Even though I wasn't being timed, I wanted to start my training as soon as possible. I wasn't excited about it, but I wanted to defend others and myself.

That wasn't wrong, was it?

"That was quick," Zero muttered under his breath as he spotted me. "Are you that eager to kill?"

"Oh sure, I can't wait to see blood all over the place," I scoffed.

He led me to the stables, steering clear of all the horses except for a white one, which was trying its best to grab his attention.

"Looks like someone fancies you," I joked, watching the horse nibble his hair. "You two engaged?"

He ignored me, handing me a…what the hell is this?

Upon seeing my curious face, I heard him snort. "That was known as a Morning Star back in the medieval days. We've tinkered with it enough to call it Blood Star."

"_We_? Blood star? What? Does it shoot out blood?" I asked him, waving the weapon carefully. It was three-foot long club made of steel and at the end of it was a ball with menacing spikes. I was guessing that it weighed twenty to thirty pounds…maybe more.

"The Hunter's Association," he answered grouchily. "And no, do you see anything that shoots out stuff?"

I studied it. "Then what exactly is it?"

"A spiked club obviously," he rolled his eyes.

I growled. "I knew that from its appearance, but what does it do? You said the Hunter's Association tinkered with it."

"It can be used to crush skulls and bones, and if you manage to control its swing and force, you could create a crater if you wanted to," he replied casually, stepping outside and I followed.

My eyes widened to size of airplanes. "Seriously? That much damage?"

He shot me a serious glare. "But you have to control it."

I frowned, narrowing my eyes in confusion. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means you have to control it."

"Be more specific, Sherlock," I snapped.

"Try hitting a tree with it," he suggested.

I looked at him skeptically, but turned to face a random tree and I swung it as I used to swing my baseball bat. I heard a loud crack and watched as the Blood Star left a brutal mark on the tree's base, nearly sawing right through it. I glanced at Zero to his reaction and to my disappointment, he appeared as if he didn't care.

"Okay…"

"I chose this weapon for you specifically because you have skills in softball. In softball, you train for power. You need grip strength, lower body power, and a strong arm to throw. You need to be able to run fast and jump on the bases. This weapon requires great arm strength because you're going to have to swing it. It's a close hand to hand combat," he explained, staring intensely into my eyes. "The spikes were made to go through armor, but because we've adjusted the weapon to serve for annihilating vampires, it is powerful enough to create craters."

All I could utter was, "Sweet."

"Sweet? Perhaps, but you have to control it," he stated.

"You keep saying that, but what the hell are you talking about?"

"You have to control your emotions. That's where the Morning Star and the Blood Star differ. The blow of the explosion matches your strongest emotion. Since you have…_a lot of anger issues_…your most prominent emotion that the Blood Star will sense is rage and the explosion that will come after you strike will be massive," Zero frowned at me. "So learn to control your temper. Strike too hard and you'll kill yourself in the process within the explosion."

"You have to make judgments of how hard you want to strike and where in the body you want to strike," he informed me, continuing.

I made a face. "Ah damn. Concentration was never my forte. You're asking me to do a lot of work, you know?"

"I know," he snorted. "But you're capable of it. As shown with your schoolwork."

"What's my schoolwork have to do with this?"

"At first you took your time with completing it, but when you actually focused…you aced all of your topics. Did you not notice how well you scored when you forced yourself to do your make up work?" he inquired, making me feel edgy.

Did he know that I only managed to get all of that stupid work done just because I didn't want to think about Jade?

"I was just using schoolwork as a distraction," I mumbled.

"Probably, but it did show me that you could concentrate."

"You gave her a weapon?" I heard a familiar masculine voice and found Mr. Bunny staring at me with new fear.

"Aidou…you're supposed to be in class," Zero said sharply but Mr. Bunny ignored him, his eyes too focused on the Blood Star in my hands, and that's when a thought occurred to me…

"Oh Mr. Bunny…" I giggled, sounding insane and I'm pretty sure my eyes were big with a hint of menace. "Guess what?"

He eyed me suspiciously, folding his arms in a childish way that suited him perfectly. "I don't want to know, do I?"

Zero rolled his eyes, pushing himself off of the wall and took a seat next to a tree. I suddenly swung the metal Blood Star over my head and held it in batting position, my eyes containing an alarming glint in them.

"COME HERE YOU FAG! I FINALLY HAVE THE TOOL TO TURN YOU INTO A GIRL!"

His eyes comically turned into rounded plates and he dodged my first swing at his head, screaming, "ARE YOU INSANE?"

I laughed sinisterly at him as he dodged all of my attempts to change his gender.

"Stupid question." I heard Zero mutter as he watched the two of us running around.

"STOP RUNNING YOU FUCKER! THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE TIMES YOU SAID I WAS TOO WEAK TO KILL YOU!" I shouted, swinging my bat and was only an inch off from hammering him right on the skull. I lost my grip on the steel weapon the fifth time I tried to hit him and it flew out of my hands, striking a tree instead.

"Oh _fuck_."

I heard a _snap_ and a deafening _crack_ followed it, and I watched as the first row of trees shatter into halves.

Zero stared indifferently at the newly deformed row of trees and then he shot me stern glare. "Self-control, you idiot."

"Be careful of where you're swinging that stupid thing!" Mr. Bunny snapped. "You could have crushed my skull!"

I smirked devilishly, ignoring Zero. "But that's the whole point of this weapon! Smashing shit!"

He turned to fiercely glare at the prefect. "What the _hell_ were you thinking when you provided her with a weapon? DOES THE TERM _'PSYCHO BITCH'_ PROCESS INSIDE THAT VOID SKULL OF YOURS?"

"If she wants to defend herself from vampires and end her mother's life, then she'll need it," Zero answered without missing a beat, his face void of any emotions.

I twitched censoriously with those words. End my mother's life…isn't there a flowery way of saying it? Like save Mom from dying a horrible death at a hunter's hands? Couldn't he have phrased it better? Damn it.

"Fontana," Zero grumbled to me. "Go find the Blood Star."

Oh right. I didn't even see where it landed.

I heard Mr. Bunny shriek as I turned to search for it.

"_BLOOD STAR_? YOU GAVE HER THE DAMN _**BLOOD STAR**_?"

I giggled madly to myself as I went on my searching spree, discovering the weapon of mass destruction laying inside a hole it created within the ground. I picked up the staff and the spikes disappeared inside the ball, becoming just a staff with a giant steel ball.

"Zero! The spikes are gone!" I shouted, returning to his location.

"That's normal. When it's not being used, the spikes are stored away inside the ball," he explained tiredly, as if he was getting annoyed with me.

Mr. Bunny had his arms folded over his chest and a pout on his face. "I can't believe you're going to become a hunter."

I rolled my eyes. "There only three people I'm hunting."

Zero shot me a glare. "I thought this was for your mother?"

"And I wasn't lying," I reassured him, smirking. "But I'm most likely going to attack Mr. Tampon and torture Mr. Bunny here for shits and giggles."

Zero sighed, placing his arms behind his head tiredly but he seemed to have approved of my statement.

"That's not funny," Mr. Bunny scowled, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Not for you anyway," I grinned. "So, what else is there I have to do?"

"You're training will include suicides, wall sits, push-ups and loads of laps," Zero smirked as my jaw dropped.

I groaned. "You're not serious, are you? I have to go through _that_ kind of training again? Why?"

Zero opened one eye to look at me. "You went through this kind of training as a softball player. I didn't think this would be so hard for you."

"It is! That's why I quit!"

"And gained so much weight," Mr. Bunny mumbled.

"Do you have a death wish, you damn Rapid Rabbit?" I growled at him, holding the Blood Star in a swinging position.

"This will prepare you. You need to regain your arm strength to what it used to be, you need to be faster, and your reflexes need to be sharper," Zero insisted. "Starting now. Go ahead and do ten laps."

I groaned again as I realized he wasn't kidding and dropped the Blood Star onto the ground as I began my laps around the Academy.

I heard Mr. Bunny chuckle as I left. "This will be fun to watch."

* * *

"I believe it's time for you to hear the good news," Yagari-sama greeted me soberly as he sat next to me again in the same spot at the library.

The library was gradually becoming my new home because of Kiren, who was driving me insane with her numerous questions. She kept asking me if I was okay, if I needed food, if I needed help, if I needed…anything. A part of me felt horrible of leaving her out in the dark. After all she's done for me, I felt that she should know of what was going on with me, and know the existence of vampires. However, the other part of me wanted to keep to her safe. I wanted to keep my distance from her so my enemies wouldn't target her. Yet I knew that while I was keeping her safe, I was also breaking her heart. I could tell she was…lonely. And it bothered me.

I eyed the advanced hunter suspiciously. "What now? Is Jade awake?"

"Oh your buddy? Not yet. Sorry."

"No harm done," I shrugged, feeling slightly relieved since I still didn't feel like facing him. "So?"

"You're going to be a prefect," he said bluntly.

I immediately froze up and stopped what I was doing.

"You're shitting me," I swore in English.

"I…am not," he said uncertainly, probably confused about the 'shitting' part. "My former pupil believes that becoming a prefect will help you control you temper, so he suggested to the Chairman and the Chairman agreed."

I groaned, rolling my neck and I heard it pop. "You can't be serious. Are you sure?"

"Positive," Yagari-sama answered.

"How the _hell_ is this good news? You--I mean--_they_ think that becoming a prefect will help control my temper?" I seethed.

"Your hair is starting to stick up," he smirked, changing the topic. "If you're not happy with their decision, then talk to them. I'm just the messenger. Besides, isn't it time to have a chat with your father?" he asked, both of his eyebrows arched at me.

I inhaled deeply, tempted to breathe out through my nose like an outraged dragon and forced myself to smile again.

"Stop giving me that sinister smile and go talk to him. I'm sure you're absolutely dying to."

"Oh, someone is going to die," I muttered viciously with an unusual perky voice and stood up.

Me? A prefect?

Buwahahahahaha.

_Lots_ of people were going to die.

* * *

He made me wait twenty minutes.

_Twenty_-effin'-minutes.

By the time I was actually in the room I couldn't even talk straight. I wasn't forming any proper sentences and I was switching back and forth between the two languages I knew.

"Well," he said abnormally cheerfully, ignoring my frantic shouting and disapproving growls. "I think you should start by sitting down."

I glared but plopped myself onto a comfortable red leather chair that he had taken out of his room while I was…venting.

"So you're unhappy with becoming a prefect," he stated calmly.

"Unhappy? _Unhappy_? Are you fucking serious?" I snapped, my eyes nearly popping out of my head. "You haven't seen me in _eleven_ years and all you've done is avoid me. You left me to believe that you were either dead or with some other women, but then I find out you _ADOPTED_ another girl to replace me and now you're not even going to ask me whether I want to be a prefect! You're just assigning me to it! AND DID YOU THINK I WAS GOING TO BE JUST FRIGGIN' _PEACHY_ WITH ALL OF IT?"

There was a pause of silence before he finally looked at me in the eye and I saw deep regret reflected in his eyes.

My eyes. I just realized we had the same colored eyes.

"I know I've made…a lot of mistakes, Serena. What human being hasn't? I know I cannot repair any of the damage. I can only apologize and hope that one day you'll forgive me," the Chairman said softly, all of his previous childish characteristics gone.

"What were you trying to accomplish when you created this place?" I asked, finally able to pop the question. "Were you trying to bring Damon back? Stop feeling guilty about his death?"

He leaned back into his seat, folding his hands on top of his lap in a thoughtful way. "I wanted harmony for both sides. As a hunter, I've seen so much bloodshed and I wanted to end that. I didn't want to see another child murdered. Another family destroyed—whether it be vampire or human."

He stopped talking for a couple of seconds, and then he leaned forward, propping his elbows on top of the office desk.

"As you know, not many vampires, or humans for that matter, agree with me. What do you think, Serena? Do you believe that vampires and humans can get along?"

"You want my opinion?" I inquired, an eyebrow arched quizzically at him and he nodded. "Why?"

"It's important that I have your opinion…you are my family."

I bit my tongue to keep from exploding. "_Family_? I'm _your_ family? Hahahaha! You don't have a right to call me family. You lost that privilege a long time ago. Besides, it's not like you expect me to inherit your ideas and run the school for you after you're gone."

"Well…I haven't thought that far ahead, but maybe? I just…want your opinion. Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" he inquired, staring profoundly at me.

"No," I snorted.

"Explain why."

"The way you have this Academy set up is wrong. You say you want humans and vampires to live in harmony, but you don't have in them in harmony," I frowned, explaining myself further as I saw his confusion. "You have the humans living within an illusion that they're safe here. They don't know that the vampires exist, and therefore it becomes a problem should a vampire ever accidentally expose him or herself because you'd have to pull a few strings to make sure their memories are erased or distorted. This doesn't create a peaceful environment."

"You're implying that I should reveal the Night Class's identity to the Morning Class?" he frowned. "But that would create an uproar."

"If we have an uproar then it means that we're obviously not meant to live in harmony with vampires," I declared. "However, I don't think every human student will reject a vampire. I mean look at Yuuki Cross. She doesn't seem to mind Zero and the rest of them."

"Yuuki Cross is a pure blood vampire, Serena."

I blinked, visibly shocked and my temper was gaining strength again. "A pureblood? You replaced me with a effin' _pureblood_?"

"Her brother is the one who brought her to me. I was to keep her safe," he said. "I didn't adopt her to replace you. I adopted her because I owed her mother…"

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to dig too deep into the past. What's done is done. "That doesn't change the fact that you left."

"And I've already apologized for it," he countered.

I stared at him before continuing. "In any case, I think what you're doing is wrong. The students should be aware of their presence. It's wrong to keep them in the dark—no pun intended."

He seemed to smile at me. "I think you'll make a great prefect."

I slammed my hands flat on the table. "Absolutely not! I already have enough on my plate!"

"And I think this will help you," he said, eying his cracking desk.

"How the hell is adding more responsibility onto my shoulders going to help me?" I snapped.

"You'll be around more vampires and see what they're really like at night," he replied.

"I know what they're like. You had me trapped within their stupid dorms, remember?" I growled. "And I've seen plenty by looking at Jade. I still have memories of the Skylar family too, for your information."

"Ah yes, but you were trapped _in your room_. You have yet to meet the other vampires," he sighed. "Not all of them want you dead, Serena."

"No, just the _really_ _**powerful**_, BAD ones," I snarled. "Absolutely nothing to worry about!"

"I also wanted to mention something else," he said, once again ignoring my hysterical outburst. I think he had a lot of practice before and after he married Mom.

I narrowed my eyes dangerously. "What?"

"Mister…what did you call him…Tampon? Lovely nickname I must say," he grinned, "He'll be talking to you soon."

I smirked; surprised that he didn't reprimand me for insulting the other hunter. "Great, so I can finally kill him now that I'm walking. Know any places I can bury him?"

"No, but I'm sure the Night Class would."

I sighed and leaned back into the comfortable chair, taking a break to digest everything that was said.

"So I have no choice but to become a prefect?" I glared at him.

"Nope," he answered bluntly, shoveling paper to his left.

"Not even the slightest?" I pouted.

"Nope," he repeated.

"You do realize that the fan girls are going to die, right?"

He smirked impishly. "Self control, remember? Try not to lose your temper."

"Bite me," I scowled.

"I'll pass. I hear that you've been bitten a few times already," he frowned. "Anything else you want to discuss?"

I drummed my fingers on his desk, glowering at him.

Oh we had shit loads to talk about, but I only wanted to mention one more subject. "Yea."

"What is it?" he asked, curious.

"How do you feel about Mom?" I questioned, suddenly analyzing his every move to see if he still had feelings for her.

He blinked and I could see he was putting up mental barriers to hide himself. His jaw tightened and his eyes drooped.

"I…don't know."

"Liar," I retorted quickly.

He sighed. "No, that is the truth. Seeing her with…_Mr. Tampon_…"

I suddenly found myself grinning. "The fact that you don't like him either indicates that you still love her."

"Don't Serena," he frowned.

"Don't what?" I returned the frown. "Don't play match maker between my parents? Don't torture the hunter? What?"

It was his turn to scowl. "You got your mischievousness from her."

"I don't know about that. You have a very…childish side to you. Mom's just a slut."

He glared at me and he looked tempted to slap me, but we both knew he lost that right a long time ago.

"Don't call her that."

"I just did."

"Serena Fontana Cross!"

"I ain't a part of the Cross family! You made sure of that!" I hissed, getting up from my chair.

"Where are you going?" he shouted as I headed for the door.

I smirked evilly at him. "I have things to do, Chairman Cross. The 'exchange' is just about to happen."

I closed the door behind him but I could hear him ask out loud what an exchange was. I made a note to myself to explain to him that my ex-roommate coined it.

Right now I had fan girls to beat up.

* * *

"He made you a prefect?" Kiren asked me in disbelief and I forced myself not to roll my eyes.

"For the umpteenth time Kiren, yes, he made me a prefect."

"Why? I thought your punishment for what you did to Asura-chan was settled by Zero four days ago!" she asked.

"Yea, well, it's additional punishment," I said, walking up to meet Yuuki and Zero who were already prepared for the havoc 'exchange'.

_This ought to be interesting._

Yuuki handed me the badge that indicated I was a new prefect, slipping it onto my arm until it fit perfectly around my forearm.

"Now all we have to do is-" Yuuki started to explain.

"Keep them from raping the va—ahem, I mean the Night Class students," I quickly corrected myself as I stared at Kiren. "Don't worry, I won't cause a massacre."

"Somehow I don't feel reassured," she mumbled under her breath and I inwardly laughed because I honestly didn't know if I could keep that promise.

Yuuki and Zero led me to the front gates where the Night Class students would soon emerge from, and I caught attention immediately. I heard a lot of whispers among the female population, most of them were wondering what the hell was I doing and I was asking myself the same question in my head.

"Ladies and…ladies," Yuuki nervously chuckled. "Fontana Serena is our new prefect, please treat her nicely."

I snorted in response to her last sentence and the screaming began as soon as the gates were opened to reveal the Night Class. Most of the students avoided me, knowing I wouldn't hesitate to strike them and they nearly trampled all over the female pureblood.

It was something I had yet to understand.

I hated Kaname because he reeked of pureblood, but Yuuki didn't bring out the hunter in me when I was around her. I didn't distrust her like I distrusted her brother. Funny how they're engaged…must be some vampire thing.

I removed the Blood Star from my back where I had slung it since I was too lazy to carry it and used the staff to force the students to back off. I made sure the spikes remained inside the ball. I watched the Night Class more carefully, making sure they didn't come in contact with the female humans even though I believed that most of them deserved to die. I mean…why not? If they were stupid enough to approach them in such a disrespectful manner then they should be drained dry.

"Hey! Fontana! Demon girl! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

I knew that hysterical, feminine voice from anywhere.

"Shizune if you don't get back off, I _will_ hit you!" I growled and my words stirred a riot.

"That's not right!" One girl shouted.

"A prefect shouldn't be allowed to abuse her students!"

"Isn't that against the rules?" I heard one question.

"You have no right to tell us what to do!"

"You just want to keep them all to yourself!"

With each shouting and objection, I could sense myself become more agitated.

_Control, Serena. Self control._

"You're a selfish demon!"

"I want to see Idol-senpai!"

I grinded my teeth together to keep myself from bitching at them.

_Keep yourself in control._

"You're not my superior!" Shizune yelled, managing to get pass me and that struck my last nerve.

"ATSUKO SHIZUNE!" I bellowed, twirling the staff above me. "GET BACK WHERE YOU BELONG!"

I smacked Shizune on the back of her head somewhat gently, but she howled in pain.

"YOU BITCH!" I heard someone scream and she climbed onto my back.

I knew who it was just by the smell that emitted from her body. I balanced myself, putting most of my weight on my thighs so I could hold her up and then swung the staff so that the ball part would hit her back. I heard Miss Skunk yelp and she slid off of me.

By now there was a riot.

I could see Zero standing guard around the Night Class, probably thinking that the vampires might view this as an opportunity to take a bite out of someone and Yuuki was keeping the other half of the female population calm on her side.

_Oh **fuck** this shit._

With anger pulsing in my veins and my hair sticking up dangerously in absurd directions, I spun the Blood Star in front of me. "ALL RIGHT YOU WHORES, SLUTS, SKANKS AND RAPISTS! MOVE AWAY!" I screamed, sounding yet again insane. "I AM SO TIRED OF YOUR PATHETIC ATTEMPTS TO GET NEAR THEM!"

I don't know if it was the menacing glare I had in my eyes or the fact that the Night Class had somehow managed to get by the unstable female crowd unnoticed that made them all shut up. I heard them complain about how they weren't able to get a hold of their beloved and so on, but they spread out and headed to their dorms. I sighed in relief, allowing the Blood Star droop down on my back.

Zero cornered me, clearly dissatisfied with my behavior. "You fail."

"Shut up," I countered.

"Well, you have this whole semester," Yuuki smiled. "You'll get it one day."

I shrugged. "Whatever. What do we do now?"

"Separate. Normally Zero covers north and I cover south, but since you're here…you take south and I'll take north with Zero," Yuuki told me with a big smile. "If you have any problems-"

"I'll cut myself," I joked, giving her a lopsided grin. "Both of you will be able to smell my blood."

Zero's eyes reduced to tiny slits, immediately disapproving. "That's really not a good idea."

"Yea, I know I'll be towing in more trouble, but what other quiet way of grabbing your attention is there? I mean it would be obvious that I was in trouble if you smelled my blood. Even it the injury was the size of an atom," I teased, but I was being serious at the same time because I knew it was true. "And quite frankly, I'm not the screaming type. If there's going to be fight, then I'm going to fight."

"I don't doubt that." He continued to frown, clearly not pleased with my recent trigger-happy moment.

Yuuki shrugged. "I think it's okay. The vampires here obey Kaname-sama so it shouldn't be a problem. Kaname-sama knows what you smell like now."

A part of me wanted to shiver and the other part of me wanted to go hunt him down and beat the crap out of him—haha, as if that could happen. In any case, I didn't like the idea that he knew what I smelled like. It made me feel like I was suddenly the prey instead of the predator and if I tried to get away from him he would always be able to find me. I didn't approve of drastic switch of roles at all.

I decided to change topic for my sake. "Let me get this straight. You're engaged to him and yet you still call him sama?"

She shrugged again. "Old habit."

I nodded, heading out as I spoke. "Well, I'll see you guys later than. I'm off to watch over the south side."

"That's fine…but you're going the wrong way," Yuuki snickered, pointing the exact opposite direction. "You're watching _them_."

I paled a little, realizing that the south side of the Academy was where the vampires slept and I stared at her in surprise.

"I thought it would be better to force you to watch the vampires since…you nearly killed the humans just a few moments ago," she laughed, sounding a bit nervous and she rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry?"

I sighed heavily and groaned. "It's fine. I understand."

She immediately perked up. "Okay! We'll see you at dawn then if nothing goes wrong!"

Nothing goes wrong…that'll be the day…

I waved at her as she began to leave—Zero was already ahead of her. "Sure thing."

As the experienced prefects left me alone with my charge, I began to stomp my way to the vampire nest and muttered under my breath about how stupid this was. I was so preoccupied with my thoughts on how to survive the night without being bitten, or eaten for that matter, that I didn't even notice the guardsman who looked too old to be a guardsman.

"Who are you?" he interrupted my thoughts, startling me back into reality with his gravely voice.

I was tempted to give him a hysterical, evil eye. "I'm the new prefect."

"Great," he mumbled under his breath, sounding none-too-happy but didn't make a move to bother me and allowed me to pass.

"Yea," I said, not knowing what else to say and continued my lovely march to the nest.

_If I hear so much as a peep, I will strike without warning._

"What the hell are you doing here?" A familiar voice questioned me rudely, and true to my word, I took out the Blood Star and swung repeatedly.

"Serena! Stop! SERENA! IT'S JUST ME!" an outraged blonde haired villain shouted, looking quite bruised now.

I stopped in mid-swing to actually glance at my poor victim. "Mr. Bunny?"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" he bellowed, rubbing his arms and forehead.

I frowned. "I could ask you the same damn thing. Are you skipping class again?"

"OBVIOUSLY!" he snapped. "NOW WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

I scowled, returning the Blood Star on my back within its sling. "I was made a prefect and given the lovely duty to babysit this half of the Academy."

He groaned loudly but made no response...probably too busy thinking about how he was going to kill the Chairman and make it seem like it was an accident.

"Why are you skipping class...again...?" I asked, scowling.

If he hadn't had spooked me, he wouldn't be in such pain. If he had been in class at all, then he wouldn't have spooked me.

Stupid rabit.

He shot me a glare. "I was actually going to go look for you."

"Why?" I asked curiously and I could have sworn I saw a hint of blush on his cheeks.

"Well I...err...I wanted to..."

"Some time this century would be nice," I interrupted, causing him to scowl furiously.

"I wanted to take you out," he declared.

"Out? Out where?" I blinked, confused.

He shuffled his feet, a clear unusual and uncharacteristic thing to do. Since when was the playboy shy?

"It was meant for your birthday but you were too injured to be moved so I waited, and it worked out because it's not really ruined," he answered quickly, avoiding my eyes and staring at the ground.

I was having a really hard time accepting his new, shy behavior. Maybe he was an imposter.

I hit him on the head to make sure he was who he appeared to be and was awarded with a loud yelp and a seething glare.

"WOMAN! IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO THEN SAY SO! THERE'S NO NEED TO HIT ME! I CAN HANDLE A REJECTION QUITE WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH YOU INCONSIDERATE, ANNOYING VERMIN!" he shouted, suddenly a lot taller than he was a few seconds ago and I felt satisfied with his reaction.

Yep. It was definitely him.

I absently, and somewhat nervously, played with my hair, suddenly very...unsure of myself. "Well, I don't think I can go today. It's my first day of prefect duty and I don't think I have those benefits of skipping just yet."

He nodded, understanding. "I know so I was going to ask your parents for permission first."

I laughed nervously. "You make this sound like a date."

He smiled but didn't make his usual retort and that made my stomach do a funny flip.

"I'll see you later, Serena," he said too casually, ruffling my hair as he left.

I couldn't help but turn around to watch him leave, feeling incredibly stupid.

_This...is very strange..._

And the feeling in my stomach wasn't exactly helping me either. Damn that bunny.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVv

I finally updated! After so much crap I had to do!! I have yet to be in one location for more than a week (has been traveling nonstop and almost all over the east side of the USA).

I'm going to tell you right now that this fiction will probably not follow all of the manga's storyline sadly (I swear if Takuma dies I'm going to stop reading) because it keeps changing and I don't what to expect...And yes, I remember that this was my attempt at romance and Serena is finally realizing she has a crush on him....it only took me seventeen chapters lol.

The Blood Star/Holy Sprinkler/ Morning star....interesting weapon. I was focusing on her softball skills...

I realized that if you are going to manage people, you need a lot of patience and self control (I was going for Resident Assisstant for the dorm life). And lets face it, Serena needs to practice in order to control her temper and I figured becoming a prefect would be the best thing since she has to manage the worst kind of girls.

_Fan girls._ -shudder- and I must say they're something. I went out to watch Twilight and ran into a crowd of them...it was Vampire Knight all over again and I was afraid to say anything negative about the movie (and the book) 'cause I knew they would eat me alive -laughs-.

Anyway, if you have any questions, concerns, complaints, requests...etc. Feel free.


	18. Stargazer Lilies

Chapter eighteen: Stargazer lilies

I stared at him in suspicion, contemplating if he had used some kind of glamour trick to persuade my parents to allow me to spend time with him. He didn't say where he was taking me—it was just a late birthday surprise and even though I had spent the last thirty minutes trying to fish out the answer, he never gave me it. I sighed in frustration and looked outside the window. As I peered out, my breath made a smudge on the glass and I wiped it away with my hand. It was only the beginning of November and winter was already strolling in.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt, causing my body to move slightly forward but Mr. Bunny stuck out his arm in front of me, preventing me from hitting the seats in front of me.

"We're here," he announced calmly with a grin.

"Well duh," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "Are you going to tell me where you're taking me now?"

"Nope," he said cheerfully, removing his tie from his neck and he handed it to me. "Blind yourself."

I glanced at the tie and then back at him. "How about a no?"

He pouted. "Oh come on Serena! This is for your birthday! It's not as if I'm about to shove you off a cliff!"

"Knowing you, that could be _exactly_ what you're planning."

He flashed me a masterful pleading pout and I sighed, realizing I was in a no-win situation and blind folded myself with his tie.

"You're going to guide me, right?" I asked a bit timidly, feeling completely awkward without my vision.

He snorted, immediately taking my hands and helped me out of the carriage. "Of course I am. Did you think I'd let you go off on your own?"

"You never know," I smirked, hearing his scowl more than seeing it. "So how long do I have to wear this thing?"

"Until I tell you to remove it," he answered, already moving me along but I was walking slowly since I was blind so it forced him to slow down.

After maybe ten minutes of walking around, he paused in front of me. "Okay, take it off."

My hands quickly fumbled over the knot behind my head and removed the clothing item that had temporarily stolen my sight. I blinked a few times to allow my eyes to adjust to the night and when I realized what I was standing in front of, I inhaled quickly.

"What is this place?" I asked breathlessly.

"It's the Nishi-Harima Astronomical Observatory," he replied with a grin, accidentally exposing his fangs. "I know how much you love astronomy and I figured—"

"Shut up Hanabusa. You're talking too much."

His grin spread from ear to ear. "So you like it?"

"I'll love it when I see the telescopes!" I exclaimed excitedly, rushing to the door but he beat me there and opened the door for me.

"Ladies first," he said, ushering me in and the first I noticed was the huge telescope that was waiting for me.

I squealed. "I can't believe you took me here!"

"Stop bouncing around—you'll break something," he said, keeping me out of reach of the breakables. "And even though the telescope is very important, I think you should look around."

I rolled my eyes, looking at the other exhibits and computers—computers that I was going to stay very far away from. The last thing I needed was something going off. Then I noticed a table with a white cloth and tall, lit white candles. A banquet of stargazer lilies sat in the middle, cloaking the whole room with its aroma.

"You. Did. Not." I stared at him.

"I obviously did." He looked smug.

"Why?" My eyes probably looked huge.

He shrugged. "I wanted to."

I was too surprised to really comment or thank him, and I felt really awkward and my heart was pounding too loudly for me to listen to his chatter afterwards.

What did this make us?

"Serena?" he said my name questioningly.

"What?"

"You seem dazed," he stated.

"I kind of am," I admitted somewhat shyly.

He chuckled. "I'll take that as a good sign. Did you want to eat first or look at the stars?"

"Uhmm…why don't you pick?"

An eyebrow arched up in my direction. "You're letting me make the decision?"

He held his left hand against my forehead, causing me to growl…or was that my stomach growling? Another grin swept across his face.

"Guess that answers my question," he said, taking my hand and he dragged me to the table. "I ordered the best food."

"Let me guess---the most expensive," I teased.

"You know me so well." That smug look, if it was possible, grew.

"I know your tastes," I snorted.

He flashed me a grin, exposing his fangs. "Do you now?"

I immediately covered my neck and scowled. "Back off, pervert."

"Pervert?" he appeared offended.

"Yea, did you take me here so you could eat me in private?" I joked, watching the waiter who had popped out of nowhere place several plates on the table. The waiter smiled kindly at me but I knew he was a vampire too.

"Nah. Your blood type is AB," he said.

"So?" I was still watching the waiter, making sure he didn't do anything suspicious, but he minded his own business as he set the rest of the table with glasses, napkins, forks and spoons.

"AB types aren't that tasty. I prefer O or A," he smiled.

"Am I supposed to take that as a compliment or an insult?" I arched an eyebrow at him, taking a sip from the glass of newly poured water. It was really cold.

"I'd prefer it if you take it as a compliment."

"Done."

"So what would you like to eat first? There's salad, pasta with clams and garlic shrimp, roasted beef—mine is raw though, vegetarian pizza, and tiramisu and vanilla ice cream," he listed off. "There's more, but I didn't feel like saying all of them."

My eyes widened and I began laughing. "Dude, you are going to eat me. That would be the only explanation of why you're feeding me so much---trying to fatten me up!"

"Oh please, like I need to fatten you up," he joked, winking at me but I was itching to smack him. "I already told you that you aren't my blood type."

Normally I would have barbequed him for mentioning my weight, but I was too occupied eyeing all the food. The pasta and roast beef were steaming hot, the tiramisu was definitely calling my name, don't get me started on the ice cream and the pizza...was vegetarian?

"Why did you get vegetarian pizza? I prefer pepperoni."

"Oh good 'cause I got both. Mine is a bit more bloody though," he laughed, picking up his fork and spoon. "You're my kind of girl."

I felt really hot all of the sudden and I cleared my throat to dislodge the rock that was suddenly there.

I picked up my fork, deciding to start with the salad and then work down to the pasta and ice cream. "Uh…thanks."

"Enjoy your meal," the waiter said, bowing out.

"What he said," Mr. Bunny grinned and went straight for the beef, which was leaking red and it smelled like it was just killed.

I ignored the smell as I ate. To each their own I suppose.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Mr. Bunny was giving me a look of concern.

"I think I'm going to have to either waddle home or roll," I said, knowing I had eaten way too much food—but it was so good!

He snickered. "You're humorous when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," I mumbled. "I didn't even have any alcohol."

"Drunk off of food," he explained. "Kind of like when you go into sleepy mode after eating too much turkey."

I groaned, holding my stomach. "Shut up. Don't talk about food."

"Well, we can look at the stars now—let our stomachs digest the food," he suggested, tilting his head to the telescope.

A big, childish grin formed on my face. "Yea."

My legs must have fallen asleep or something because they were completely numb when I stood up, and I nearly fell face first into the left over ice cream dish in front of me, but he had grabbed me.

"See? You're drunk."

"My legs fell asleep, you retard."

He sighed. "Excuses, excuses, excuses."

He lifted me up, an arm under my legs and the other under my back, forcing me to rest my head against his shoulder.

"I didn't say pick me up." I groaned, feeling motion sickness.

"Well I did anyway."

"You did that on purpose. I bet you were counting on this even!"

He snorted. "Of course."

"Put me down," I demanded.

"We're almost there!" he argued, holding me tighter,

"Put me down _now_!"

He scowled and instantly dropped me. I crash-landed on my butt.

"Ow! You prick! I said put me down---not drop me!" I snapped.

"You didn't specify," he jeered.

"Ugh. Move out of the way," I said, crawling to the telescope.

"Don't be ridiculous. Let me carry you," he said, already trying to lift me up but I put up a struggle.

"I'm not an infant! I can walk there!"

"You're crawling," he pointed out.

"So I'll _crawl _there!"

"Why do you insist on crawling?" he sighed dramatically, hands on his hips. "Do you have something against my arms? I am strong enough to carry you."

I blushed brightly. "There's nothing wrong with your arms, you pompous idiot."

"Then why won't you let me carry you?"

"Because I would like to have my own independence okay!" I snapped. "I'm not going to depend on you for everything!"

He glared at me, looking completely vexed. "I'm not saying you should depend on me."

"Yeah, but you're treating me…" I wanted to say 'too nicely and it's freaking me out' but I knew better. "Like a weakling. Let me just…crawl."

"Fine." He exhaled noisily and within a blink, he was sitting next to the telescope waiting for me to join him.

"Show off."

"You're the idiot who's crawling like a baby."

"Shut up."

By the time I got there, it was nearly three in the morning. Meaning it took me fifteen minutes to get there.

"About time. I was getting bored."

"Oh you mean you didn't find that crawling act entertaining?"

"I have better ways of spending my time." He winked at me.

I halted. "Say what?"

He laughed at my face. "I was just kidding."

"Are you making sexual passes at me?"

"I repeat—just kidding." He held up his hands to defend himself.

"You're lucky I don't have the Blood Star with me."

He laughed. "Oh just admit. You like my attention."

I was red in the face again. "I do not!"

He looked pleased with himself. "Keep trying to convince yourself."

"Maybe it's time to take me home," I grunted and I stood up abruptly, nearly falling over again. I really shouldn't eat too much food. It's like I'm a balloon afterwards—all I'm good at is floating.

His face immediately seemed sullen. "I was just kidding Serena!"

"Liar!" I shouted, taking forever to reach the door.

"Oh come on Serena." He was behind me already.

"Damn it Hanabusa! Don't move too fast!" I snapped.

He paused in his footsteps, a comical grin on his face. "Actually you're moving slow. I'm going the normal speed of humans."

"Oh shut up, damn bunny."

I groaned. When did everything become so distant?

I turned on him sharply. "Did you drug me?"

"Now you're accusing me of drugging you?" he scoffed, appearing insulted. "You know, I probably shouldn't even have bothered. I should have just given you a piece of my hair for your birthday."

I felt ashamed. I mean he did this all for me and I was being such a horrible participant. "Aw, I'm sorry Hanabusa…it's just…weird. All of it is weird."

He waited patiently for me to explain.

I gave him an apologetic smile. "The candles, the food, the 'my kind of girl' comment…it's all weird."

"Bad or good weird?" he studied me.

I shrugged, avoiding his ocean eyes. "I'm not even sure."

"Did you want me to stop?"

"Would it be insulting if I said yes?"

"Sort of."

"Then no."

"Serena…I'm…lets just go look at the stars," he said, guiding me back to the twenty foot sized telescope.

"It's November," I told him excitedly with a huge grin.

"…And?"

"Well, we don't really need a telescope. The Leonids are huge!" I laughed at his confused expression.

"Leonids?"

"Named after the constellation Leo. They're practically the biggest meteor shower," I said. "So we just have to be outside. We don't really need the telescope."

He groaned. "You mean I paid for all of this for nothing?"

"Well you could have consulted with me first."

"As if. I wanted this to be a surprise."

"And it was," I said, wrapping my arm around his shoulders like a buddy would. "But we could use the telescope if you want to."

That's exactly what we did. We watched the bursts and trails of meteors with our arms around each other's shoulders.

* * *

I wanted to see Jade. Tonight I was feeling braver, or maybe it was because I really was drunk with food...or maybe because Mr. Bunny did drug me. I wanted to see if it was possible for him to wake up when I _wanted_ him to wake up--now that I had the courage to face him.

So I managed to persuade Mr. Bunny to take me to the Moon Dorms so I could visit Jade. It's been two or three weeks and he still wasn't awake.

The fact that he wasn't awake bothered me.

It was still dark in his room. It still reeked of blood. I couldn't understand why the Chairman didn't move him to the Sun Dorms—the odor of blood must be driving the vampires insane.

I sighed, leaving the stargazer lilies that I had taken from the dinner table and I placed it next to him on his nightstand. I watched for any signs of improvements, noticing that some of his bruises were yellow now and the cuts had healed into pink little scars on his face. I wanted to erase those scars---as if I could use a pencil eraser to remove the evidence of his attack.

His arm was still wrapped up in bandages.

His hair was still greasy—I would have to persuade someone to wash him. I mean I can only imagine all the bacteria.

"He's doing well for someone in his position," Mr. Bunny's voice whispered behind me and he draped his arm around my neck. "He's fine here, and he'll be fine. I'm thinking that any day now he'll rise."

I snorted. "You're just saying that because you want me to feel better."

"Not really," he stated bluntly. "I'm speaking the truth."

I stared at him. "Promise?"

"Promise," he nodded, going as far as taking my pinky and I chuckled at his action. "What? Isn't that what you do in America? Pinky swear?"

"Yes, I just…didn't expect it." I hadn't expected anything tonight.

He smiled, his ocean eyes becoming gentle waves. He was slowly pulling me in and he knew it. He tilted my head with his index finger, causing me to clear my throat and skittishly avoid anymore physical contact. It just felt weird. Good, but still weird.

"I guess I'll leave you with him for a little bit," he said, pretending that he didn't see me pull away from him.

"He's not going to have any other…noticeable changes, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"He wasn't bitten by a pureblood…" My voice trailed on.

He blinked. "Not according to his injuries. He should be human and just fine."

"Oh. Okay," I sighed in relief. "Thank God."

He smiled briefly. "I'll leave you with him."

"Thanks." I didn't even hear the door close behind me.

_They're just flowers._

At least that's what I kept trying to tell myself. They were slowly invading the room with their aroma, erasing the blood odor that had become stale. So why did I feel awkward? It wasn't like I was giving them to Jade…I was just brightening up the room…and taking the stench away! Yea!

I sighed again, forcing myself to look at him. He hadn't move, hadn't opened his eyes, hadn't made a sound…

What if he was dead and his still beating heart was just teasing me? **_No_**, he's_ fine_. Mr. Bunny even said he was fine.

I was just going to have to control myself.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Kiren's voice caught me off guard, causing me to jump as I entered our bedroom. It was five in the afternoon. I had skipped all of Monday's classes since I slept in Jade's room.

"Really well," I told her with a grin. "We watched the Leonids."

She squealed with delight, clapping her hands together. "I'm so glad that you're dating now!"

"Woah, woah, woah! Who said we were dating?"

She laughed. "Oh come on Serena-chan. We both know you like him."

"I do not!" I protested, but I was on a losing battle. I knew that. I knew I liked him but last night was more…for friends…right? It was just a late birthday gift for a friend. He didn't see me as more than a friend.

"Serena-chan, you lie a lot. It's not a healthy habit," Kiren pouted, shaking her index finger at me.

I sighed. "I know."

"SO YOU ADMIT IT!"

Damn it. She tricked me.

"Kiren… lets not parade around… in your underwear."

She wasn't listening though and she kept dancing around with her pillow as if it was her partner.

"So did you dance? Did you eat? Did you talk? What else did you do?" she asked curiously. "I mean you were gone for the whole night and the next day...did you?"

I laughed. "No, we did not do_ that_. I fell asleep in Jade's room while I was visiting--totally accidental. But uh, we ate a lot. Or at least I ate a lot. He bought all of my favorite food. I was rolling like bowling ball rather than walking."

"Aww, you didn't save me anything?"

"How could I? It's not like we have a fridge for me to save it," I chuckled as she continued to pout. "Well what did you do last night?"

"I…studied." She didn't look convincing.

"Okay, now you're lying," I stared at her. "What did you do?"

She blushed furiously, which peeked my curiosity.

"What? Did you lose your virginity or something?" I was only being sarcastic so she could just tell me but for some reason that struck a cord.

She whacked me in the face with her pillow. "_SERENA-CHAN_!"

"Oh my God! You didn't!" I teased her but I noticed something strange and red on her neck. "HOLY CRAP! IS THAT A HICKEY?"

"Not so loud!" she yelped, covering her neck in the process. "And yes, it is! Are you happy now?"

"So who's the guy? Come on! Tell me! Tell me!" I bounced on the bed, shaking her shoulders excitedly.

"Takuma…kun," she whispered sheepishly.

I fell off the bed in shock, also due to the misplacement of my foot as I was bouncing, but in another note…

SHE WAS SEEING A VAMPIRE BEHIND MY BACK!

"Serena-chan, are you okay?" Kiren looked down at me.

"Yea, yeah, I'm…_I'm _okay." I stared up at her, feeling very overprotective. "Is he good with you?"

She blushed again, nervously playing with her hair as she did so. "Yes."

"I mean, he's not pushy or anything, right?"

"Serena-chan, we're talking about Takuma-kun. Not Aidou-sempai," she chuckled. "And he's very respectful of me."

She had a point.

"He hasn't…tried…to bite you?" I asked hesitantly.

Her face was scarlet. "No. He barely even holds my hand most of the time."

Maybe she didn't know that he was a vampire. That could be a problem. I was NOT going to be the one who told her that they existed.

"So…how long has this been going on? Not since the dance, right?" I was hoping it would have been much later than that, other wise I'd probably be the worst friend ever. I mean friends are supposed to notice that their best friends are dating someone.

"Since you were in that room in the Moon Dorm. He…kind of…kept me company. He reassured me and all," she explained slowly, breathlessly.

So they've been dating for two--almost three--months now. I am a terrible friend. I should have noticed that they were dating! And I probably didn't catch any of it because I'm not spending time with her like I used to!

"I'm sorry," I said.

"For what?" she asked, too innocently I might add.

"I've been with Zero and Mr. Bunny all this time and-"

"That's okay, you've been serving for your punishment," she interrupted, smiling kindly. "I just didn't think that they would make you a prefect."

"Me neither," I grumbled.

"Speaking of being a prefect, don't you have your duties to do?"

I sighed. "Yes but now I don't want to go."

"Serena-chan, don't feel bad. I like my relationship with Takuma-kun," she giggled. "He's really sweet."

I scowled, feeling oddly replaced. "I bet he is."

"Come on," she said, handing me my badge. "Or you'll be late."

I put the badge on, feeling irritated. How did I get pushed into doing this job again?

"Does anyone else know about your relationship?" I asked her, my voice barely above a whisper because I didn't want anyone else to hear me.

She shook her head. "I rather not have anyone know about it. Especially the fan girls."

I nodded, understanding her completely.

Zero shot me a look when he saw me. The kind that tells me he had something on his mind to pester me with. The fan girls remained at the side of the gate, glancing carefully at their beloved idols but never going pass the imaginary line. Ever since that incident on my first day, I've started to carry my Blood Star in all of its glory—meaning the spikes were visible.

That stopped a lot of them from going insane though they tried to bring up a petition with the Chairman to have me resigned. None of the students, minus the ones I was close to, knew that I was his daughter, so they were puzzled and frustrated when he just waved them off. They did, however, have the unfortunate freedom to scream as much as they wanted.

_Damn do they have lungs on them._

I plugged my ears with my index fingers to avoid becoming deaf as the vampires strolled out from their dorms, waving their greetings. The fan girls' behavior wasn't the only thing that changed though. Another drastic difference in the 'exchange' was the way Mr. Bunny acted.

Today he didn't flirt with the female population like he normally did, but instead he headed directly to me and boldly grabbed my hand.

"How are you, my lady?" he winked, kissing my hand.

"You love provoking me don't you?" I hissed, yanking my hand away.

He chuckled, satisfied with himself. "Only when you get pissed."

"Go shoot yourself in the lower regions," I growled.

He ignored the last comment as he walked away with his class, waving like a proud idiot. "Just remember that you're my lady!"

"I'm going to roast him on a stick," I mumbled under my breath, noticing the death glares I was receiving from the fan girls. It wasn't my fault that he was an outrageous womanizer.

As the vampires disappeared into their classes and the horde of female students dispersed, Zero approached me. I snorted. I knew he had something to say.

"We're leaving the prefect duties to Yuuki today," he informed me. "And we're going to train you for hunting."

"Are we allowed to do that?" I asked and he showed me a green slip of paper with the Chairman's signature on it. "Apparently so."

"Come on, we have to get a move on," he said, sounding urgent this time. "This will test you."

I narrowed my eyes, muttering, "I'm sure it will."

Yuuki greeted me unenthusiastically. In fact, she looked down right pissed. "I still think it's too early for this!"

"She's been training for two weeks now," Zero argued. "It's enough time. This is only to give her a taste of what we hunters do anyway. If it becomes to serious, I'll step in."

That didn't reassure her and it sure as hell didn't sound good to me.

"What are you scheming?" I glared.

"You'll see when we get there," he replied shortly.

* * *

"You're secretly on crack, aren't you?" I interrupted him. "You want me to go _in there_? Have you even taken a _look_ at this place?"

Zero flashed me a dangerous look, clearly indicating that he wasn't patient today. "You heard me. Now hop to it."

I scowled and studied the vacant, decaying mansion in front of me. It covered twenty feet of land, surrounded by meadows and large, naked trees. It was gray in color, with some oddly shaped green vines wrapping around the broken windows. The door looked as if someone had tried to eat it.

I felt tiny while standing next to it.

_Why does it have to be soooo cold!_

This is why I hate wearing skirts. They're no good in the winter and they kept rising up every time the wind blew, forcing me to tug it back down so I wouldn't moon Zero. Couldn't the Chairman think of a better outfit for the female students? I was going to have to talk to him about it. If I remember right, it was supposed to snow tonight. Ugh.

"This will not be pleasant," I mumbled to myself under my breath, surveying the building.

There was a chance that the mansion could collapse while I was in there---it looked that run down.

"You're wasting time," Zero frowned. His arms were folded impatiently as he tapped his foot.

"Shut up. I'm a beginner." I swung the Blood Rose onto my shoulder and I cautiously entered the mansion.

The instructions that Zero gave me were simple: 1) Locate the creature, 2) Kill the creature and 3) Don't get yourself bitten or killed. He did mention somewhere between two and three that I should not show any mercy. He did not say how to find the creepy crawler though and I was on a time limit—precisely an hour.

I frowned. What part of this mansion would the parasite be in?

I checked the upstairs first since I was too chicken to sweep the basement and I made sure that I didn't touch anything. The walls, floors, stair railings, portraits of old people and samurai---everything was drenched in fresh blood. I sighed loudly in frustration, glancing at my wristwatch. I had only forty more minutes left.

I needed to complete this on time and while I'm still alive and kicking.

A bad idea occurred to me, but it was the only one that I knew of that would speed up the searching process. Surely the vampire was thirsty for blood, right? I took out the Blood Star and used one of the spikes to cut gently across my forearm. I hissed a little as I felt the stinging pain in my arm and watched the blood ooze from the wound.

Something flashed by me, leaving behind a gust of wind to brush my face and the strands of my hair tickled my neck. I looked up frantically, my eyes scanning everything. Nothing was different. No one was on the stairs, no one was standing in front of me, and no one was standing behind me. None of the portraits were knocked over and nothing had creaked.

Everything was absolutely the same--it made me feel like I had imagined the wind. I felt something wet drip on my head. Reaching up with my left hand to feel my hair, I touched a transparent, sticky and wet liquid.

It was drool.

I instantly rolled on my side, avoiding the sharp swipe that had been aimed at my head and I was able to get a peek at the monster.

He was huge. Standing about six foot eight, he was bald, bulky, muscular and pale with bluish veins. His shirt was ripped so it revealed his abs and his pierced nipples. His nails were long, sharp and pointed. But what spooked me the most were his luminous red, lustful eyes. They were crazed with hunger.

"_DAMN IT!_ ARE YOU ON STEROIDS?" I shouted, ducking my head as he took a swipe at me.

He growled, snapping his jaws.

I got on my feet and started running, knowing that if I swung the Blood Star too hard the entire mansion's rubble would crush me under its weight. I was running so fast that things around me were blurry, which wasn't good because I nearly ran into one of the bedroom doors. I stopped for a few seconds to catch my breath and quickly realized that something was wrong.

The ex-human was _not_ behind me.

Was he above me again?

I looked up. Nope.

Where the hell did he go?

_Shit. _

I need to get out of this mansion so I can use the Blood Star. At least the building would land on top of him. I began racing down the first flight of stairs and nearly tripped on one of the steps. A loud roaring sound shook the walls of the stairway and the beast came through the wall. He knocked me off the stairs, causing me to tumble down the rest of the way. As soon I reached the bottom, I forced myself to stand.

I glared at the ex-human who was grinning proudly at me. As if he knew he had cornered me.

I spun around to run and slammed into the wall that was suddenly in front of me.

Note to self: Must watch where I'm going.

I rubbed my sore head and quickly withdrew the Blood Star from my back, allowing the spikes to appear once more.

"A LITTLE HELP WOULD BE NICE!" I yelled, holding the Blood Star in front of me defensively.

Zero was either feigning deafness and wanted me to die on my first try, or he really couldn't get to me. _Ha._ In any case, I was on my own.

Realizing that the wall I had just ran into was trapping me, I swung the Blood Star into it and hoped that it didn't have any important beams---the ones that supported the mansion to keep it standing. The wall crumbled underneath the force of the Blood Star with a loud bang and I stepped through the new hole, only to watch the creature make its own door by throwing himself through the same wall.

At least we were both outside now.

My feet felt glued to the floor and I was panting like an asthmatic person. The ex-human galloped towards me, his facial expression filled with the pure intent of murdering me and I just stood there like a staring, motionless idiot.

I had no strength to pull up the Blood Star or the courage to swing. I was scared shitless.

Not scared of the dead being who was now gripping me by the shoulders, digging its razor claws into my skin and inches away from burying its fangs into my neck. I was scared because I was doing this to train.

I was doing this to kill my mother.

Even though I've known since the moment I discovered she was an ex-human that I would be the one to kill her, the reality of it only struck me now. And reality scared me. I was going to lose the only person who stuck by me all throughout my childhood.

I was going to be alone. She was going to abandon me.

I didn't even scream when the ex-human bit me. I was too cold; my fingers were tingling with numbness. I felt useless, powerless, empty…and dead.

A deafening explosion erupted and blood splattered onto my face, bringing me back to the real world. The ex-human slumped forward, bursting into ashes within seconds and I was left on my knees with ash on my clothes.

I didn't respond to Zero's shouting though I could hear his concern and disappointment. I forced myself to cover the punctured skin on my neck as to not disturb the prefect and turned around to head back to the academy, but a strong hand gripped my shoulder and I winced from the pain.

Zero forcefully spun me around to face him, his eyes glossy. "You're not ready yet," he growled.

I stared at him in shock, whispering, "I know."

I wasn't ready for any of it.

* * *

I was sitting in a comfortable blue leather chair with tears rolling down my cheeks, quietly sobbing. I didn't know where else to go.

I didn't know anyone who would understand my pain.

Kiren was probably happily somewhere with Takuma and I didn't want to ruin that, so I couldn't bother her. I didn't have the energy to deal with either of the prefects, whether it was Zero's constant disapproving glare or Yuuki's constant reassurance that it was a good try and there's always next time. I wasn't even sure there was going to be a next time. And I was definitely avoiding Mr. Bunny because if he smelt any blood on me he would go into a bizarre, overprotective mode.

The only person I wanted to be with was Erica, but she was gone and the only thing I had left that connected me to her was him.

And he was still unconscious, deeply wounded and he could possibly hate my guts for the position he was in.

_Why aren't you awake. I need you…_

But nothing had changed since I last saw him. I drew in a deep breath, feeling depressed, out of place, and disconnected from my body.

_Numb._

I was becoming numb.

A clock chimed, startling me from the withdrawn emotion I was feeling and I abruptly stood up, knocking over the vase of flowers that I had placed on the nightstand previously. I muttered every swear word I knew under my breath as I cleaned up the mess. I was moving very slowly so I wouldn't cut myself when I heard someone snicker. My head shot up to stare at the newly awakened man.

"You never were the graceful type," Jade's hoarse, belittling voice streamed into my ears.

My eyes widened in shock. "You're...you're…."

"Awake?" he finished my sentence, an eyebrow arched at me and I couldn't stop staring at him. I had so many questions to ask him and yet my mind had liquefied the moment I heard his voice.

"I'm fine in case you were wondering," he snorted, wincing when he heard a whimpering sound. In a matter of a few seconds, I had attached myself to his torso and I couldn't stop the flow of my tears.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I kept repeating as I buried my head into his shoulder, ashamed to look directly at him.

"Serena, you're hurting me," he grunted and I swung myself off of him in an instant.

"I am _so_ sorry!" I repeated again.

"Say that one more time and I will hit you," he threatened humorously. "And wipe those tears away. I'm fine."

"How can you be fine? You lost an arm! You were attacked! You-"

"I thought something was off. My arm _is_ missing," he cut in impatiently, wincing as he glanced down at his body. "Yea, they did do a number on me. So, are you going to tell me why you're crying? Because those tears are definitely not for joy—here I thought you'd be happy to see me awake and in a jolly mood. Must be the morphine 'cause I feel high."

I laughed in spite of myself, crying at the same time. "Ugh. I really missed you."

VVVVVVVV

I had a reviewer who asked me if I would write a lemon....I won't because with the type of person Serena is, unless she was married, she wouldn't go beyond kissing. Not saying she's prudent, but think about it. She'd become more clingy and possessive of Aidou because she would feel threatened---the possibility of him leaving her too great since she has abandonment issues. And I can't say their love will end in marriage because I honestly don't know how I'm ending the fiction and I don't want to write Serena in that situation.

I apologize if I have squashed any hopes, and I'm sorry that I took so long to write this.

By the way, I hope everyone had a great holiday and I hope that you achieve any 09 goals. I also want to thank my beta reader. She's absolutely fantastic! -big grin-

Also, before I forget, this chapter will replace the author's note as soon as I complete chapter nineteen. Be aware of that so you don't read the wrong chapter.


	19. Haunting Anxiety

Chapter nineteen: Haunting Anxiety

"I want to know what happened." I told him, staring at him and I could feel everything inside me boil with anxiety.

I was anxious to know yet at the same time I didn't want to know, but I also wanted a new topic to occupy my mind so I could forget what happened while I had been training.

I shoved my feelings aside, deciding to distract myself with new information and forced myself to sit in the chair that was beside him. It was hard to keep still though. My leg kept bouncing and I kept shifting position.

Jade must have noticed my uneasy energy because he was studying me like a therapist would study their patient's behavior in order to understand them. Except he couldn't understand me.

"Where's Erica?" he asked, almost looking around but he winced every time he moved his neck. "I thought she'd be in an infirmary with me."

"So you knew she was injured?" I tilted my head to watch his facial expressions. He was confused.

"What do you mean 'was'? Is she better now?" He sounded so hopeful that I felt cruel saying the truth.

"I wish," I mumbled, my fingers nervously toyed with my skirt.

He inhaled sharply and I immediately thought I heard something else shatter. Maybe the noise had been his heart. Or maybe it was mine.

"She's gone, isn't she."

I took no inchoative to reply. I didn't need to. What he said was a statement, not a question.

"I need to know what happened Jade," I repeated softly.

He was reliving the situation as he informed me with descriptive detail of the afternoon they were walking home after they finished their shifts at work. He told me how the night was dark with no stars and no moon. How he could see his breath in the October air and he remembered that they were making plans for Halloween. How he knew that they were being followed because of the sound of multiple footsteps. How they tried to avoid being caught by randomly walking into bookstores and restaurants, but once they left they were followed again.

He told me how Erica fought: proudly…violently…with everything she had. How typical of Erica. However, they weren't strong enough to face off vampires.

They were, unfortunately, only human.

I twitched uncomfortably in my seat as he recalled the faces of her family. He didn't know that the vampires had their families until he was shoved into a muddy pit with them.

I inhaled sharply. "They had your family too?"

"Yea, but mine weren't alive like hers when I opened my eyes." His eyes were cloudy as he spoke—like he was trying to not picture his own parents.

"I didn't know that," I said, shocked. "I didn't find their bodies."

Jade's face became distorted. "You mean you've found corpses of Erica and her family?"

"I was thrown into their pit," I answered venomously. My anger wasn't geared towards him of course, but the memory of what happened that night was cutting my nerves.

"You were caught?" His eyes were huge at this point. "But we made sure as to not give away any information!"

"They weren't looking for me when they had you captive," I explained darkly. "They were after my mother first. They already knew where I was---in this school. The other vampires were protecting me though, which is why they wanted Mom first. Thought she would be an easier target."

"But why? Why did they want you? Or your Mom?" His tone was angry and confused.

"Apparently my whole family is in this blood feud with a clan of vampires. They want us dead for numerous reasons that I don't feel like explaining right now," I frowned, flexing my fingers.

I needed to kill something. Damn. And I just had a training session---failed it too! I inwardly groaned.

"How did you get away?" I wanted to avoid hearing the parts where Kaede and her posse tormented my friends and their families. I didn't want to hear those details.

"I didn't. They thought I was dead," he laughed mockingly, snorting. "They were having more fun with Erica's brother who was terrified of them."

I clenched my trembling hands into tight fists, not caring about the blood trails that my nails left as they dug deeply into my palms. The urge to kill was causing me to shake with rage.

He continued though, oblivious to my trembling. "They tossed me into a trunk and dropped me into the wilderness after I passed out during one of their torture sessions. I woke up near a stream and followed it to a stable. It took me a while to travel though, which is why I'm surprised that my arm was amputated. I thought for sure I would lose my legs---I couldn't feel them half the time."

As he finished, a void look entered his eyes.

He was becoming distant and empty…it bothered me.

It was like watching him die. Spiritually, that is.

"The tattoo they removed caused the problem. The wound got infected," I whispered, looking away. "What did they do to your legs?"

He sounded wistful as he spoke. "No idea. I couldn't see while I was in that room. It was cold though---the floors felt like cement. I was chained to the wall, where they kept biting my neck and ripping my skin off with a knife. I think a hammer broke my legs. It felt like a hammer, anyway."

"Yagari-sama, one of the men who found you, said he discovered holes---what does he mean by that?" I asked. I was briefly reminded of the rare times Erica and I watched horror movies—I wanted to know but I regretted knowing the truth afterwards.

"They took a screw driver and drilled holes into the same arm they removed the tattoo. They also did it in my legs, palms and my stomach," he replied, speaking lowly.

This time I knew he was picturing it because he was making a face. He was disgusted with himself, ashamed as he recalled his time of vulnerability. I shifted again in the chair, cringing as I felt his pain.

"How did you heal from those wounds? I didn't see any holes in your stomach," I muttered, wanting to get up to double check but my butt was glued to the chair.

To be honest, I didn't want to see any more wounds.

"The white haired vampire made me drink his blood---said it had something to do with healing. I thought it was his way of poisoning me," he grumbled.

A sick feeling twisted my stomach.

The vampire, Hoshi, the one Mr. Bunny had caught after they found me, was healing his wounds just so they could keep him alive and continue to torture him.

"Serena?" he asked. His voice was softer now.

"What?" I croaked. I was enraged.

I wanted her blood. Hers and her buddies.

I wanted their blood on my hands.

And I wanted it now.

"Why are you crying?" he sounded confused even though it was obvious as to why I was crying. "Erica never wanted you hurt."

"I know," I croaked again.

My eyes burned and the scene before me began to blur.

_Hell, I __**am**__ crying._

"It's not your fault," he declared as if he was reading my mind.

"Yes it is!" I shouted, causing him to flinch. "You did not choose to die! You did not choose to be hunted down! You did not choose to---"

"We chose to be your friend and to be loyal to you," he cut me off viciously, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Don't ruin that for us with your self pity."

I immediately clamed up, feeling like I had just been slapped.

"I can't believe this!" he snapped. "You've been wasting your time thinking this was entirely your fault, haven't you?"

I didn't bother to nod. He already knew the answer.

"You moron! You could have been more productive with your time by chasing that bitch down!" He threw off the bed sheets to corner me.

I bit my tongue until it bled so I wouldn't gasp as my eyes zoomed in on his blackened legs.

I immediately closed my eyes tightly.

"We have been searching for her but she's disappeared!" I nearly shouted, going into defensive mode. "They say she might be taking refuge in Switzerland or something."

"Who's 'they'? Who's 'we'? What the hell have I been missing?" He spat angrily at me, furious that he had been left out.

I nearly snapped at him. It wasn't my fault that he had been unconscious the entire time. Besides, it wasn't like I had been in shape to move around either when I was found.

I sighed and took a deep breath because I knew I was going to need it. I opened my eyes and focused on his eyes, which were bright. It was odd seeing bright black eyes—like staring into a black hole. I was being sucked in, but unlike Mr. Bunny's oceanic eyes and their alluring pull, Jade's eyes weren't seductive or silently promising safety.

They were hell bent on exterminating every existing creature, even if it were innocent.

"Sit back down, Jade," I ordered, but my voice was meek.

When he looked as if he was going to argue, I interrupted.

"You _have_ been missing out on a lot and this will take time to explain," I began nervously, biting down on my tongue again.

I wonder how he will respond once he finds out that I have… _feelings_… for a vampire…

* * *

The answer to my previous question: _Not so well_.

He threw the vase of flowers at my head when I informed him and he had asked me why---and how could I? After being nearly killed by one!

I tried telling him that not all vampires were the same. That Mr. Bunny saved my life twice: when he found me and when he gave me his blood.

The other part that pissed him off was that Hoshi was still alive and being held captive in the basement of the school. The last time I heard his name, it was from Yagari-sama who was bullying him for information about Kaede's location.

I didn't get the chance to tell him about my situation with my mother. Truth was, I didn't want to talk about it.

I exhaled loudly, prowling around the school's campus for the last time as I returned to my bedroom. I don't understand how Yuuki and Zero do this job. It requires that I stay up all day as a student andstay up all night as a prefect too!

I'm not a vampire! I need sleep!

You know what? I'll just skip today's class and ask Kiren later about it. While I'm at it, I'll skip the prefect duties today too. Why not? Zero does it all the time.

And I was exhausted!

I was prepared to collapse onto my bed when I spotted Takuma standing in front of the Sun Dorms' entrance at six in the morning. He seemed nervous, swaying back and forth on the heels of his feet and studying the ground nervously.

"Takuma?" I questioned lightly, feeling irritable.

I wanted to go to bed. I didn't feel like dealing with a polite bastard who was dating my best friend behind my back.

Correction: _Had _been dating.

It was now my duty to break them up.

As usual, he was cheerful when he greeted me. "Good morning Miss Serena! I came to—"

"Does Kiren know that you're a vampire, Takuma?" I got right to the point. I didn't care if I sounded rude.

His face fell with disappointment and worry. "No, she does not."

"And do you plan on telling her?" I shot him a glare.

He became nervous. "Yes…just not right away."

"And just how long do you plan on waiting to tell her?"

Takuma scowled, which took me aback a bit. "Serena, I know she's your best friend, but I care about her too. I'm not going to hurt her. I won't bite her. I refuse to drink her blood. I'm not going to use her in—"

"Any way…right," I finished his sentence but I shot him another scornful glare. "How do you expect she'll react when she finds out?"

He shrugged, glancing at the ground nervously. "I don't know."

"You don't think it would break her heart? To grow to love someone and then find out that she can't have him?"

"What are you talking about?" he glowered at me. "Aren't you the one who's practically dating a vampire?"

"I don't count," I said defensively.

"How so? Just because you come from a family of vampires and vampire hunters?" he argued.

"Yes. I've had more experiences with them," I told him and I wanted to eat my own words as I said them.

Half of me knew I was being a hypocrite. Half of me just wanted to be certain that Kiren was safe. Even if she would be heart broken to know that I forced Takuma to end the relationship.

"You don't know how she'll react-- she might not reject me," Takuma continued to argue with me.

"This is why you came to my bedroom that night, isn't it?" I asked, remembering now that he was present on the night I had a fight with Mom. The one that made the whole hall of vampires stare at me. "You came to me because you wanted my approval. You wanted to know if it was okay—you wanted to date Kiren officially, even though you were already seeing her."

He blushed. "She…told you about when we began dating?"

"Uh, yea. We're friends…does that ring a bell?" I rolled my eyes, biting him with my sarcasm and he did flinch.

"I'm not going to end the relationship just because you don't like it," Takuma persistently defied me. "But I have to admit I'm surprised. You're the last person I expected that would have that opinion."

"What opinion?"

"You're against vampires dating humans," he stated firmly.

"Oh, but let me guess. You brought this up to Mister…Kuran, right? I bet he's just plain jolly that you're dating a human," I scoffed, throwing up my hands in the air dramatically.

He became suddenly quiet.

I blew up the moment I realized what that silence meant. "OH MY GOD! YOU _HAVEN'T_ TOLD HIM, HAVE YOU?"

"Miss Serena," Takuma sighed, returning to his polite demeanor and his eyes begged me. "_Please _don't tell anyone."

"I'm not going to, but you better tell the pureblood or he'll have someone's head," I growled, making the unfortunate promise. I was above spilling other people's secrets.

I became curious though.

I wondered how vampire politics worked---if Mister High-and-Mighty would fuss over a bond that Takuma _had_ with a human.

I silently vowed in my head that if he threatened to harm Kiren in any way, I would step in and protect her. Even if it meant my death—since I couldn't see myself winning in a battle against a pureblood.

"Takuma, are you going to let me go in now? I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I've had a rough day," I yawned, mentally avoiding the thought of my demise.

"It seems I have bad timing as usual," he smiled apologetically. "I didn't even ask how you were doing."

"No. You were about to but I interrupted," I smiled back despite the fact I was mad at him.

"I suppose now would be too late?" His eyes closed tightly as to come across as friendly.

I honestly didn't feel like talking. _Seriously_.

Yet for some reason I felt compelled to explain my rudeness. At least to Takuma. He was just too damn polite and nice and…yea, I can't be angry with him. I wasn't going to say this out loud, but if Takuma weren't a vampire, I'd say Kiren has great taste in men.

Takuma would never harm anyone. He would only protect those he cares about. I could sense that.

"Old wounds," I started to say. "They were opened. I guess that's why I'm being such a bitch right now."

Takuma chose to sit in front of the door and wait for me to explain, patting the spot next to him. "Go on."

I exhaled loudly, dropping the Blood Star next to him so I could sit. "Zero took me out for practice. I was supposed to kill an ex-human—needless to say it didn't end so well. I chickened out, the thing bit me and Zero had to kill it before it killed me."

"Why did you chicken out?" Takuma was as patient and as understanding as ever.

I wanted to slap him. "Damn it Takuma! Be mad at me! I just gave you hell and you didn't even raise your voice!"

He chuckled. "I've noticed that you enjoy confrontations. This explains why you like Hanabusa so much---he argues back, and the louder he gets the happier you are. You're quite sadistic…in a more subtle way."

I scowled, attempting to hide the blush that was staining my cheeks. "I just…like his reactions."

Again, he waited for me to explain.

I sighed, folding my arms over my chest. "Mom used to say that people showed that they cared through their passions, whether it be love or hate. It's when they don't react that you have to worry because it means they no longer care."

"I agree." He nodded his pretty little head. "You put a lot of effort into loving or hating a person. Anyway, go back to the failed mission. You chickened out because?"

I took my time responding. "Because…_because_ I'm a step closer to killing her."

"You said you wanted it to be you," he pointed out.

"I do. I meant it," I mumbled. "But…_still_."

"I understand," he said.

"Of course you do," I mocked, scowling.

"But this is relatively new…how is it an old wound?"

I sighed again. "This is going to sound retarded, but when I was younger I used to think that she would leave me too since Dad left. I thought it would be only a matter of time. That's why I was so bitchy back then—until she slapped me."

There was period of silence until I broke it a couple of minutes later.

"I wanted to hate her. That way it would have been easier for me to let her go when she finally abandoned me."

My voice cracked at the end. I was on the verge of tears.

This was just too much for me in one day.

"That doesn't sound retarded at all," he said quietly.

"What are you? My therapist?" I growled, withdrawing into myself. I wanted to find a hole and remain there for a while until it was safer.

It _**hurt**_.

It hurt to think. It hurt to feel.

"If you think of me that way."

"I'm going to go inside now," I stated, not wanting to talk about it anymore. I was becoming uncomfortable.

"Is that all?" he asked, standing now and he gave me a hand.

"Jade's awake," I muttered, refusing his help. "And he's not happy with me dating a vampire either."

A knowing smile spread across his face. It wasn't like Mr. Bunny's smug 'I-told-you-so' smile. It was genuine.

**_He_** was genuine. As always. Why the hell didn't I fall for him instead?

"I can understand Jade. Jade's only trying to protect you. Just like you are trying to protect Kiren," he grinned.

I narrowed my eyes at him, mouthing '_I hate you'_. The bastard was right. As usual.

Jade was me. I was Kiren.

_Funny how life works._

I groaned. "No more thinking. Come back to ask me for my approval later when I'm not so emo, a hypocrite and overprotective."

Takuma simply smiled. "Very well."

"Scratch that," I mumbled, taking a long look at him. I narrowed my eyes at him directly with every serious fiber in me. "Takuma, I know you would never hurt her, and _you know_ that you don't really need my approval."

"Yes, well, it's always nice to have it though. Rather than receiving death glares. I've seen you when you're angry and you're not pleasant," he smiled a telltale smile, winking a second later. "I rather not be on the end of your Blood Star."

"Nah, only Mr. Bunny. You know he's always the first on my list," I joked, wanting to at least pretend to be happier. If not for his sake, than my own. "Now good night! Or good morning? Fuck, I don't know, but I'm going to bed!"

"Have a good rest, Miss Serena."

"Stop that! Stop being polite!" I demanded, becoming annoyed again.

He waved me off. "Some things about me aren't going to change, _Miss Serena_."

"Not even if I threaten you with the Blood Star?" I asked, sounding hopeful.

"Not even with that," he grinned and he was gone.

I felt envious for a moment, wishing I had that kind of speed. I yawned, slowly making my way to my room and once I felt the bed underneath me I was fast asleep.

* * *

"I was beginning to wonder where you went," I mumbled tiredly.

In this dream I was standing on the tip of a gold roof. I mean that quite literally. The golden roof of…whatever this building was…was cone shaped and I was standing on the very tip of it. Damon was floating above me, watching me as I tried to balance myself on the tip. "_You_ took a break from _me_—not the other way around. Remember, I'm part ghost and part of your subconscious."

"So…um…what's new?" I scanned the new area. "Other than this location? What gives?"

"A lot," he answered bluntly.

I became confused. "What do you mean?"

"Serena, the only times I appear in your head vividly is when you need me," he explained. "So you already know that something is new—you just need to be informed."

I bit my lip. "Uh…huh…"

"It's about Kaede," he interrupted my babble, smiling delightfully now.

"What about her? You know something?" I questioned, irritated. I didn't want to hear about her unless a bus hit her and her body was found in multiple pieces.

"I know where she is," he whispered into my ears, leaving behind a ghostly breeze.

"Where?" I demanded to know _now_.

I accidentally lost my balance due to my impatience, falling to the lower cone-shaped roof. I landed with an _oof_ and it was then that I noticed just how massive the new building was.

"You're looking at it," he grinned wildly. "This is Russia—and the building you are currently balancing yourself on is Russia's famous Cathedral. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior."

"I'm standing on top of _a church_?" I asked, bewildered. "What the _hell_ is a _**murderer**_ doing in a _church_?"

"Irony, I guess. Just kidding," he said quickly once he saw my tempered face. "It's the last place people would suspect a vampire to be hiding."

_True. I mean. Look at Mom---she goes to church!_

"She and her brother are there." He was floating again. "If you go, take a team with you."

"Well obviously. I doubt the Chairman would let me go anywhere alone," I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"You mean _Dad_," he corrected me.

"I told you I couldn't make any guarantees," I reminded him.

"You two still have time," he said softly. "It's Mom I'm worried about now."

Pain surged through my veins, causing me to twitch uncomfortably. I clenched my fists tightly, digging my nails into my palms. No blood seeped out since this wasn't reality. I only had crescent marks, which disappeared the second after they appeared.

Revenge. Sweet, painful revenge.

* * *

I woke up edgy the next morning—correction: late afternoon--- to call Mom.

The dream I had was still fresh in my mind, anxiously eating at the corner of my brain. For some reason I felt suspicious, like something was amiss.

Maybe it was because Damon had said that he was worried about Mom in my dream, causing me to believe that she was in danger.

So I snuck into the Chairman's office, knowing that he was cooking meals at the moment (okay, I'm guilty. I have _occasionally_ spied on him since our last conversation) and used his phone to call her.

It's not like I really had a choice. His phone is the only one that can call overseas.

_Ring. Ring. _

Damn it Mom. Pick the phone up! I only have twenty minutes before he finds me! Not that it matters…I could easily intimidate him…somewhat…

_Ring. Ring. Ring. _

I hung up when I got the answering machine and tried calling again. Becoming impatient, I paced in his office until someone answered on the third ring.

"Hello?" a meek female voice said.

I paused, feeling a shiver tease my back.

Mom has never been a meek person.

"Mom?" I asked, uncertain that it was her.

"Serena? Is that you?" Her tone of voice was suddenly perkier.

"Umm…yea…"

"Oh! OH!" she sniffled. "I'VE MISSED YOU!"

Something was definitely wrong.

_She's been crying._

"Mom…is everything okay over there?" I questioned, trying to keep my tone light.

She laughed weakly and the hope I had been holding onto died. "Yes. Everything is fine. How are you?"

I scowled. "You're crying. Don't tell me you're okay when I know you're lying."

I heard her quickly inhale. "I'm sorry darling."

I winced, instantly feeling dread. "What's going on?"

"I…I think…"

"Mom, I love you," I interrupted her. I didn't want to hear from her that it was almost time. The day that I would have to murder her was…too soon.

She choked up. "I love you too."

And she hung up the phone.

Slowly, I returned the phone back to its craddle. An icy, prickling wave of emotion seized my lungs.

_I can't breathe._

I violently coughed, clawing at my throat to force it to open up and allow air in. Hysteria surged into my veins as I began to bang my head repeatedly against the desk, not noticing the Chairman as he entered his office. I heard him drop the tray of cooked food onto the floor in shock.

"Serena? SERENA!" He shook me by my shoulders, forcing me to release the desk. "Serena! What happened?"

Tears were flowing from my eyes and I didn't bother to wipe them. I looked up once to see his concerned face. The next thing I knew my head was buried into his shoulder and I was quivering violently. The anger and hatred that I had once been filled with evaporated as I clung to him.

I wheezed and squeezed his torso, digging my nails into his shoulders. I felt his fingers gently entangle themselves into my hair, caressing my scalp.

"Serena, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" his voice was soft.

I sobbed, shaking my head. I didn't have to look up to see the sadness and pain in his eyes.

He already knew.

"I'm sorry Serena. I am so sorry."

I don't remember falling asleep that night.

* * *

A week passed. I hadn't spoken to anyone.

Not even Kiren, who was completely clueless as to why I've been giving her the silent treatment. At first she badgered me about it, wanting to help and understand so she could give me support, but I didn't say a word.

I only kept a blank stare.

I vaguely wondered when she would snap one day and smack me for mistreating her. Jade noticed the change in my attitude. I think he believes that our last chat had made me so furious that I refused to talk to him.

In a way it was ironic.

You'd think that a person, like Jade, who's known me for five years since he dated my best friend, would know better.

If Erica was here she'd know what to do. Of course she would, she knew my quirks. My normal behavior was to fight, scream insults and belittle people when I was upset. She knew it was something more severe when I was eerily quiet. And she would beat the shit out of me until I released my bottled up fury. It was a dysfunctional yet functional way expressing our pain.

My problem was that I didn't want to say anything because saying it out loud would only confirm it to be true and real.

I didn't want it to be real. Not just yet. I wanted to live in denial. Even if it was only for a little while.

Zero was avoiding me---_bastard_. Every time I tried to corner him so I could tell him that I wanted to redo the practice, he managed to _SOMEHOW_ dodge me.

Fucking vampire.

"You seem apprehensive," Yagari-sama's voice interrupted my thoughts of hurling a desk at the male prefect.

_Ha! Try to **dodge** that! Stupid vampire!_

"Say what?" I asked, since I hadn't been paying attention. Again.

His eyebrow ascended, noticing my frog-like voice. "Are you sick?"

I cleared my throat and shook my head, not wanting to explain why I hadn't been using my voice.

He let it go, unfolding his arms and he propped his elbows onto the table.

"I really should hit you with this book," Yagari-sama frowned, sighing in frustration and he tossed the said book onto the table. "What's the point of reading it to you if you don't pay attention?"

"Sorry," I said, not sounding very apologetic.

We were sitting in uncomfortable blue plastic chairs, 'studying' the rules of the Hunter Association, which in my opinion was pointless.

How many times did I have to say that I had no intentions of joining their stupid association? Maybe…maybe I should like…place a bomb in one of their offices and force them to watch me laugh maniacally as it detonated.

Think that would prove my point?

"What are you thinking about?" he questioned, lighting a cigarette.

I silently wondered if smoking was allowed in a library. Probably not but he obviously didn't care.

"About Zero," I said bluntly. It was a half-truth.

"I thought you were dating that vampire."

I scowled at his reply, realizing what he was indicating. "We're not dating."

His eye rolled. "No need to be defensive."

"I'm not."

"It certainly shows," he chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

My scowl deepened. "What the hell does he have to do with this anyway? The only reason I want to see Zero is because I want to redo that practice."

Yagari-sama's face became serious. "Are you sure you're prepared for it this time?"

I gave a curt nod, clenching my fists at my sides.

He didn't seem convinced though. "Why? What has motivated you? What made you change in a week?"

"The Boyko Clan," I said immediately.

"You're becoming hasty," he frowned, shaking his head. "If you go in now, you'd only be killed. Take your time. Train."

I didn't have that leisure anymore.

"I want them all dead _now_," I argued. "I don't need them coming after anymore people I care about."

"They won't be doing anything now that would jeopardize them. They know we're after them and they need to keep their hiding place a secret," he reasoned with me, but I wasn't having any of it.

I snorted. "I already know where they are."

His eyes narrowed sharply at me and his voice became grave. "Do not lie to me, Serena. We cannot afford to go running around in search of them and we cannot afford to be misled."

I bit back the urge to smack him.

"I am not lying," I growled, not appreciating being accused of being dishonest for my gains. "I know where she is."

"Oh?" he quirked an eyebrow at me.

"The Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Russia," I answered in a whisper. I didn't want the other vampires to overhear me, but I wasn't sure if the whispering did me any good. They _do_ have supersonic hearing.

"And _how_ did you come across this information?"

_He's gonna think I'm a nutcase._

Well, honestly, maybe I was but that didn't matter to me at the moment.

I had to convince him.

"It…came back to me a few nights ago. I remember her saying something while she was tormenting me. She mentioned the Cathedral in Russia," I lied and hoped that he couldn't tell that I was lying.

"You remembered in a dream?" he questioned, sounding curious.

Crap. Was he already suspicious?

"Err…no, I was…thinking. After talking to Jade, it just…brought back memories. Like I was reliving the event," I lied again and I began to bite my bottom lip.

He seemed to consider my response though, removing his cigarette from his mouth and he blankly stared at the table in between us.

"Why didn't you mention it sooner? You said you remembered a few days ago?"

"Well, I didn't see the point. You said it yourself—I'm in no condition to confront them. I need to pass that stupid practice test first, which is why I've been trying to get a hold of Zero," I answered, releasing a frustrated _huff _as I crossed my arms.

"And you think you're ready for this?" He was staring at me, studying me.

I slowly nodded my head. "Absolutely."

_Lie. Lie your ass off. I just want you dead Kaede. _

"Well then, we don't need Zero. Tomorrow you'll leave with me," he smirked, squishing the cigarette on the carpet floor.

The librarian was not going to be a happy camper when she discovered that black mark. We both stood up, meeting each other's eyes.

There was an air of tension sparking between us.

Or that could've just been me.

"When the Night Class students are inside their classrooms, I will meet you at the 'exchange' point," he said, still smirking as he adopted Shizune's term. "Don't forget to bring your Blood Star."

I snorted. "As if."

My duties as a student, a prefect, and as a trainee almost forced me to sleep with that thing. We were inseparable.

He gave me a curt nod. "See you then. And while you're at it, read the Hunter's Association Manual."

I rolled my eyes, groaning. "Do I really have to?"

"Learn the rules well, Serena, so you can properly break them," he said with a grin. "You'll get into less trouble while doing what you do best: pissing people off."

He made a good point so I accepted the thick, thousand paged manual.

"You do know it's impossible to finish this all in one night, right?" I glared at him.

"I didn't say you had to finish it all at once, but make sure you read it and memorize it," he replied and with that he left me alone in the library.

Damn him. More responsibilities.

Why did I want to go to this school again?

* * *

"You're antsy today," Takuma greeted, plugging one ear so that the loud cheers of the rabid human females wouldn't hurt him.

_Gawd damn it! It's like all of the sudden people are pointing that out to me for shits and giggles!_

"Practice again today," I answered, bouncing on my legs. There was tension between my shoulders so I had been trying to stretch or force the bones to crack.

My head snapped up when I heard a girlish giggle, and without even realizing it at first, I began glaring at one of the female students as she attempted to touch Mr. Bunny.

My glare was sent to Mr. Bunny next, as he was about to play with the girl's hair. However, he must have felt my glare dig holes into the back of his head because he gracefully avoided the contact and merrily laughed as he walked in his group.

The female student, whose name I didn't know, exhaled sadly but then her face brightly lit up as if she was thinking 'Maybe next time!'.

I hated how I had become so possessive of him. It didn't make any sense.

We weren't dating. We were just good friends. I have no claims on him! None!

And he barely spoke to me nowadays. Ever since my belated birthday present, he had become more distant and when he couldn't avoid my presence he acted awkwardly.

He mumbled. He stuttered. He looked everywhere but at me. The worst part was that he didn't fight with me anymore—not even playfully.

I was starting to suspect that maybe he befriended some other human chick or that he simply lost interest in me now that I was feeling sort of…_maybe_…interested.

Was that how he was? It would fit the playboy profile.

_Charm them and then abandon them. _

Damn it. I really didn't need this right now. My anxieties were already having some psychotic celebration in my head and I was worried that I was due for another panic attack.

When was the last time I was drugged? I don't remember...

_Little voice in my head: Won't do me any good stressing over stress._

"Did you hear me Serena-chan?" Takuma's voice brought me back to reality.

I felt my face flush and forced myself to smile. "No. Sorry. I'm…just really nervous. I don't want to screw up again—even though I feel ready this time. I feel like I can do it!"

Takuma smiled, patting me on the head. "I have a feeling you'll do well this time. Instead of picturing the ex-human to be your mom, picture it as Kaede. That's really all you have to do."

I sighed loudly as I continued to nervously bounce on my legs. "Thanks."

Right after I uttered my gratitude, my legs fell completely still and my body felt more relaxed. The tension in between my shoulders ceased.

Damn polite vampire. He always knew what to say to chill me out.

As I watched Takuma walk away, not before giving Kiren a wink, I seriously began to wonder why the hell didn't my heart choose him. It would have been so much easier.

That's actually probably why-- now that I think about it.

Yagari-sama appeared on time, nodding at me as he approached.

"Ready?" he questioned.

I bobbed my head, not trusting my voice. The nervousness had come back the moment I spotted the older vampire hunter.

"Then let's go."

* * *

I can't say I know where I am because I honestly haven't the slightest clue.

It was a deserted place—that much I knew. I was surrounded by gravel, sand, and vacated buildings with old cracked signs. The trees were alarmingly tall--to the point of hiding the cloudy sky. The windows and doors, which were all ajar, would squeak open and then slam shut only to open again. Other than the slamming and the squeaking, our footsteps were the only noise.

It made me even tenser.

The unnatural silence before the storm. The calmness before the ambush.

I inwardly groaned, feeling the muscles in my legs tire. We've been walking for the past four hours and I forced myself to believe that this was a part of the training as well.

Endurance.

Damn it. I wanted to get this over with.

"Did you read the book?" he asked idly.

"You've already asked me that. Stop asking," I hastily replied.

In fact, it had been the tenth time he had asked and I always gave him the same answer. I had read four chapters last night and still had a lot more to go.

"So what's rule number one?" he continued.

"You've asked that before too," I groaned.

"Just making sure you remembered." He sounded amused.

I wanted to tell him to go screw himself.

"How much longer?" I asked.

"Fifteen more minutes," he said monotonously.

"You said that an hour ago," I snapped.

"Patience is a virtue."

"Not mine," I retorted sharply.

"Then learn it."

"Fuck you."

He laughed loudly. "I was waiting for that."

A sudden howl was heard in the southwest direction where the trees became denser, causing the hairs on my neck to prickle and electricity to pump in my veins.

I immediately yanked out the Blood Star and exposed the spikes.

Yagari-sama calmly stuck out his arm in front of me—a signal to be patient.

_**God. Damn. It!**_

"I will take the west. You will take the east," he instructed, still calm as ever.

I pouted, arguing. "I already know it's in the west. This is supposed to be my training! Let me take care of it!"

He shot me a dark, annoyed glare. "I'm going to chase it out of its hiding spot so you can finish it off in the opening. I would rather not have a building bury you."

Another point for the old man.

I sighed exaggeratedly. "Fine…"

We broke off into our directions and as soon as I reached my location, I realized why he told me to go east. From where I stood I could see a large mountain in the distance.

I heard a deafening explosion, which I assumed was his gun, and something sprung out from the trees so quickly that it blurred.

It was heading straight for me.

VVVVVVVVVVVVV

If it weren't for my reviewers, I'd probably wouldn't have updated until April at the earliest. Why? I have so much crap to do I can't keep my head straight.

1. School started. That means homework, studying and exams. DAMN IT

2. I have a job

3. I have to do volunteer work because it's a requirement for one of my classes (and that means I'm a teacher assisstant....surrounded by THIRD graders!!)

4. My laptop caught on fire. New record! So now I'm stuck with using the library's computer.

YAY for reviews :D.

As for her bond with Aidou, I had to remember that this is Serena's first crush. So because of her lack of experience, she doesn't know she likes him (and fights with herself because of it), doesn't know what to do, and can't explain how she feels.

Btw, this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Holy cow.

Warning for next chapter: violent and gorey. With some other stuff in it of course.

I have the best beta reader!! :D

Stay tuned!


	20. Strong enough

Chapter twenty: Strong enough

She was fast, and since she hadn't known that Yagari-sama had company, she crashed into me head first.

Her head slammed into my stomach, sending me flying backwards for a couple of yards. Luckily, I managed to remain on my feet with my knees locked so I wasn't knocked off balance or on the ground like she was.

That didn't mean I wasn't wounded.

Bruises were slowly developing on my arms and I hard a large gash on my left thigh from where her claws had dug into when she smashed against me. The wound stung like a bitch. I was wheezing a little bit; my stomach felt sore from the impact. Her head had felt like a canon.

She rolled onto her feet, swaying and arms dangling to her sides.

Her clothes were basically rags, so I figured that she had been on the run for more than just a couple of weeks. She was taller than me; my forehead met her pointy long nose. Her greasy and mop-like hair was black like coal. Her uneven red hued eyes---her right eye was located higher than her left-- twitched a couple times. She had a surprised daze on her face, twitching and blinking as she looked around.

Fangs were exposed as she grinned maliciously at me.

Her left hand jerked and she would have impaled me with her claws if I hadn't brutally whacked her with the Blood Star.

One of the spikes smashed her right arm and I heard a loud cracking sound—the breaking of the bones. It dangled limply at her side.

I heard her giggle—it was a mad giggle—and I took a few steps backwards.

_Wrong move_.

She misunderstood me, believing that I had wanted to escape rather than fight. She came at me more violently, lashing out with her good arm and her teeth snapped at me. I blocked her blows with the Blood Star's rod, but she hit me once so hard that it flew out of my hands. It landed a good ten feet away from me, landing with a clunk, creating a small crater around it.

She giggled again, grabbing my hair and she yanked hard.

I yelped, feeling the claws scraping my skull. I kneed her hard in the stomach, punching her in the throat too, which had been another stupid move.

Ex-humans don't need oxygen.

The blow to the stomach was good enough though and it gave me enough time to perform four somersaults to reach the Blood Star. I landed awkwardly, coming down on one of knees.

_I haven't done gymnastics in years…_

I was definitely going to feel sore tomorrow.

She giggled again and my head snapped up just in time to see her leap toward me.

I frowned. Trying to attack a person while in air was always a bad plan. It left you open to anything, but who was I to complain? It made it easier for me to ram the Blood Star into her gut as she came down, hitting her organs. Putting my weight on the rod, I forced the spikes to twist inside of her body and her blood spewed out. I didn't bother to wipe off the blood that had splashed onto my cheeks.

She clumsily dropped to the ground and wailed in pain. Her eyes twitched, looking as if she was enjoying the scent of her own blood.

A flash of white interrupted our fight and in her place was my mother.

Her wild, fiery hair was frizzed and her eyes were no longer silver but crimson. Her tongue lolled to the side of her mouth where her excessively long fangs protruded and drool flowed to her chin.

I snarled in disgust. Was it a defense mechanism that ex-humans had? To morph themselves into someone the 'hunter' cherished so that they could avoid extinction?

It was a theory, but this time I wasn't buying it.

I forced myself to listen to Takuma's advice and pictured the ex-human as Kaede with her revolting pink hair and demonic yellow-green eyes…her teasing smile that knew of my mother's fate and Jade's injuries.

_You fucking bitch!_

I thrust the Blood Star into the ground. With my anger, pain and blood lust fueling its power, the explosion it caused created a ten feet deep and six feet wide crater.

Once the smoke and dust from the air cleared, I noticed that the ex-human had lost her legs.

"Stop playing with your opponent." I heard Yagari-sama complain.

"I'M NOT PLAYING!"

"Then finish the job!" he ordered impatiently and I spotted him standing a few feet away from the edge of the crater.

I gave him my middle finger, causing him to snort.

I diverted my attention to the ex-human again, who was wheezing and crying. Blood spurted from her legs, rushing out of the hole from her abdomen. I strode to where she was, looking down at her.

She glanced up, her eyes fierce with rage, pain and thirst. I gripped the Blood Star tightly. Her eyes widened in fear.

She was not the ex-human anymore. Kaede was kneeling before me, completely whole and grinning.

I heard a faint whisper: A plea. The ex-human wanted to live.

I remember Zero telling me that the Blood Star was meant to crush skulls, but I don't remember believing him.

However, when I removed the Blood Star from Kaede's---I mean, the ex-human's head-- I heard a disturbing squishy sound and realized that the gray substance leaking from the gigantic hole in her head was her brain.

You know how they say to never look down when crossing a bridge?

Never look at a squashed head. Someone should have told me that.

Her red eyes flickered, twitching for the last time and became brown. Her body gradually changed into dust and the wind lifted the dust into the air as if it were freeing her from the Earth.

I was left feeling deeply disgusted with myself.

"Serena-chan?" Yagari-sama's voice sounded concerned.

"I'm fine," I said immediately. It came harsher than I intended.

"This is the first time you've killed someone, isn't it?"

I wanted to shoot him a glare because it was obvious that it was my first time, and yet he had the nerve to ask, but he was probably trying to ease me up.

I nodded slowly, lifting my hand to wipe her blood off my cheek but found nothing. Glancing at my hand, there was also nothing.

Maybe her blood had turned into dust too.

"Yagari-sama?" I said weakly.

He was watching me closely and nodded for me to continue.

"It's always sinful to kill," I answered in sad voice, finally realizing the answer to the question.

He was grim when he replied, "Glad you know the truth."

* * *

I was shell shocked.

I sat in front of the Kuran's office door, shivering violently and it wasn't because of the biting cold.

The vampires were having a meeting to discuss who to send to Russia with me. I was almost positive that they were sending Mr. Bunny with me. If not him, then Takuma would probably be the one to join me on the hunt for Kaede. I highly doubted the Kuran would send a vampire I didn't trust.

Everything seemed kind of fuzzy and out of place—as if I wasn't really there.

Surreal.

My body felt so sore. I knew I had a lot of bruises and gashes…somewhere.

Mom had called the Chairman to make sure I was okay, somehow knowing that I had gone out to…do _the job_…seriously this time. My thoughts weren't really focusing on her though.

I've seen people in pain and I've caused them pain. I've insulted and physically assaulted them, but I've never killed anyone. The image of the ex-human's crushed skull, her brain leaking out from the wound, and the way her red eyes twitched one last time before changing back to their normal brown hues repeatedly flashed in my head.

I fought the urge to vomit.

Someone's voice cracked at a high-pitch. The vampires were arguing. I strained my ears to listen in on them, curious. I also wanted the image out of my head and this was a great distraction. I couldn't catch much of what they were saying, but I knew who was talking. The Kuran was easy to pick out from the sea of voices because it was elegant, soft, and persuasive. In a way, his voice always came across as passive, like he was trying to cover up his true, violent self.

_Passive my ass._

"I don't believe any of us are surprised that you've chosen a human mate." I heard the Kuran say gently. "However, I cannot say it was a wise choice."

There were a few rounds of grunts.

"We do not choose whom to love, Kaname-sempai, our hearts do."

I recognized that voice immediately. The sleek, feminine voice belonged to a vampire with long ash blonde hair. I've only heard her talk a couple of times while at the gates when she was with Mr. Bunny's cousin but her voice was so nauseatingly sophisticated that it was heard to forget.

I pressed my right ear against the doors as I crawled on my knees and palms, nearly falling over since I hadn't stopped shivering.

"We'll talk about this another time. We still haven't discussed about who we are sending to accompany Miss Serena." Takuma—there was no mistaking his politeness—replied shortly.

My face nearly planted itself onto the floor when I realized that they still hadn't made a decision about who was going. What the hell had they been doing then?

"I'm going." I heard Mr. Bunny say aggressively. I imagined he was challenging the other vampires to see if they would object.

"Of course you are." I believe that was his cousin speaking with a rather sarcastic tone—what was Mr. Orange hair's name again?

I heard the Kuran chuckle but no one else said anything.

"I'd like to go as well," Takuma offered.

"I thought we were only sending one?" A voice I didn't recognize asked, but it was definitely male.

"I don't really understand why. Wouldn't it be better to send two? This is Kaede we're talking about—and her brother Kohaku," a young feminine voice said. I think that was the blonde haired vampire girl--the one that stuck to the only other brunette vampire.

"The Hunter's Association only want one vampire from our coven going with her since the male prefect and the vampire hunter are already joining her," the Kuran explained lightly. "Sending too many with her will draw attention to the group."

A silence followed after he spoke.

"So it's settled then? Hanabusa will be the one going?" the sleek feminine voice questioned, seeming unsettled.

"What's wrong with me going, Ruka?" Mr. Bunny snapped, sensing the hidden meaning in that. "Think I can't take care of her?"

"No, it's not that. I think you might act too brashly though," Mr. Orange hair argued and I could tell that he was trying to keep the peace between them.

"Try to think things through before barging in," Ruka, I'm assuming that's her name, sneered.

I rolled my eyes.

"Then it's settled," the Kuran continued, ignoring the banter. "You are going."

"What about Fontana's mother? Any news about her?" The same young masculine voice questioned. "Should we dispatch her?

I became tense, growling even.

Who the hell did they think they were? She's MINE!

"No, it's not time yet but it's soon. If Fontana Serena fails to kill her, we'll be sending you in," the Kuran answered.

"Good riddance," Ruka sneered. "I don't want another Level E disgracing us."

Something in me snapped and without even thinking, I wobbled onto my feet.

Wrath was knotting inside my heart, exploding with fire. I barged through the door, kicking it out of my way with my foot and made a beeline to the ash blonde haired vampire.

Taken by surprise of my sudden appearance, the vampires were immobile as I charged at Ruka.

_**SMACK!**_

My eyes widened in astonishment as my right hand left a red handprint on the Kuran's face and I heard everyone gasp.

In one swift movement, Mr. Bunny had me by the waist and Mr. Orange hair held Ruka back from attacking me. The other vampires were about to move in on me when the Kuran's booming voice, now sharp, demanded them to halt.

They froze in their footsteps.

My brain was on fire with confusion.

_WHAT THE HELL! I WAS SUPPOSED TO SLAP RUKA! HOW THE HELL—__**NO**__—WHY THE HELL DID HE GET IN MY FUCKING WAY!_

"Get her out of here," a girl with short silver hair snarled.

"No, she's not done yet." The Kuran's voice regained its softness.

I glared, surprised that he had allowed me to smack him and mad that he did not allow me to hit the person who deserved it, but I found myself glaring at intimidating, reddish brown eyes. His eyes seemed to breathe power and seduction, and they demanded that I submit.

"What else do you have to say, Mongrel," Ruka hissed, exposing her fangs.

Mr. Bunny tightened his grip on me as I writhed in his arms.

"Miss Serena, please try to refrain from attacking her." Takuma placed a hand on my head, almost treating me like a pet.

My shoulders immediately slumped.

The Kuran eyed Takuma and Mr. Bunny, seeming envious that only they had a little control over me.

Scratch that. Not control, but respect. And he could kiss my fat ass if he wanted my respect.

"Fontana-san, say what you need to say," Mr. High-and-Mighty ordered.

Growling, I yanked myself out of Mr. Bunny's hold and the vampires immediately braced themselves. If it had been at a different time, I would have laughed.

"How can you say that the Level E vampires are a disgrace to your kind?" I snapped, cracking my knuckles as if I was preparing to punch Ruka. "It's your fucking kind that turns us into ex-humans to begin with! If anyone is a disgrace, it's you!" I pointed my index finger as I turned onto the Kuran.

"You are the creator of this mess! And I'm the one who's cleaning up after you!" I continued to yell, getting louder with each accusation.

Mr. High-and-Mighty kept a steady, blank face. The look only aggravated me further.

I got into his face, which caused the other vampires to move but he held up a hand to halt them again.

He wanted me to carry on.

"HERE YOU ARE SAYING THEY'RE A DISGRACE WHEN YOU'RE THE FUCKING ANIMALS—EXCUSE ME, THAT'S AN INSULT TO REAL ANIMALS---FUCKING BARBARIANS WHO DEFORMED THEM TO _LOOK_ AND _ACT_ LIKE YOU! THAT'S RIGHT—_**LIKE**_ YOU!" I was screaming now. "YOU'RE NO FUCKING BETTER THAN THEY ARE! YOU JUST THINK SO BECAUSE YOU SUPPOSEDLY HAVE MORE CONTROL! WELL YOU DON'T! OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T EXIST TO BEGIN WITH, YOU RETARDS!"

"Serena…" Mr. Bunny began softly, sounding insulted.

"SHUT UP!" I barked at him. "I'M NOT FINISHED!"

I spun back around on the Kuran, still yelling at him even though he kept his placid face. "IF ANYTHING, YOU FUCKING DESERVE TO HUNTED DOWN! I HOPE THAT EVERY DAMN ONE OF YOU PUREBLOODS DIES!"

I could tell that this time I struck a cord, watching the Kuran's eyes narrow dangerously. I had specifically said those last few words to piss him off, remembering what I had read the in the Hunter's Association Manual.

Yagari-sama was right. I _could_ piss off more people by reading it.

It had stated that the vampire purebloods were nearly extinct, hunted down for their powerful blood that could solve so many human diseases and increase the strength of other vampires. It didn't help that Yuuki was still being hunted down by the remaining members of the Hunter's Association and the lingering purebloods. So many wanted her blood---apparently, hers was the strongest since the time of the first original vampire.

Ironically, that was her betrothed.

"You will regret saying those words," the Kuran said softly, but I caught the hidden malice laced within the tone.

"You are what you repeatedly do, monster," I snarled and without looking at anyone's face, particularly Mr. Bunny's, I marched out of the Kuran's office.

I made my way to Jade's room, not sure of where else to go to blow off steam.

As I reached his room, I heard laughter and slowed down my pace. Surprised to hear it from his room, I opened the door to peek inside.

I found Kiren and Jade playing Grant Theft Auto, and Kiren was shooting down the cops. A loud booming noise sounded and the car combusted, causing the two to laugh and high-five each other.

I winced, feeling invisible all of the sudden and was about to head out when Jade cleared his throat—

"You gonna come in or just stand there like an idiot?"

I froze. "How did…"

"Are you kidding? You have no stealth whatsoever," Jade smirked. "So what's up? You look ticked."

I snorted. That was an understatement.

Kiren immediately frowned. "You didn't get into another fight, did you?"

_Haha. A fight. Yeah. That's what it was._

I forced myself to grin. "Nah. Nothing happened."

Jade laughed in mockery. "Translation: she's lying."

I frowned. "I am not!"

"Yes you are! The only time you look _mischievous_ is when you ALREADY did something you weren't supposed to do. Kiren, pack up the game, shit's gonna happen." He was already wrapping the cord around the game's controller.

I pouted. "But I wanted to play-"

"SERENA!" We all heard a voice shout.

I groaned, recognizing Mr. Bunny's voice instantly.

Kiren sighed. "I knew it was too good to be true."

Jade threw the bed covers on him. "Hide the game, he might think we're up to something suspicious."

I shot Jade a dirty look. "Why the hell would he-"

"Uh, 'cause the game is ultra violent and sometimes the main goal is to kill people. You don't find that suspicious?" he said in a 'no duh' tone. "Oh wait, you're like the incarnation of the game. They'll be more suspicious of you."

I grimaced, knowing that after my little spiel it was definitely true.

"_**SERENA**_!" He was more urgent this time.

"I'm right here you idiot! Stop screaming!" I shouted.

Mr. Bunny poked his head in, his face spelled fury. "Why didn't you answer me the first time?"

I snarled but he didn't flinch. "Because I'm not a dog! Now what do you want?"

He glowered. "Who do you think you are saying those kinds of things to Kaname-sama? Do you have any idea how much respect you lost tonight?"

_Like I gave a shit._

"Wait a second, you pissed off the Big Man?" Jade asked, grinning. He gave out a loud _woot_ when neither of us answered him, waving his arms in the air—even his stumped one.

Mr. Bunny glared at Jade. I glared at Mr. Bunny.

Kiren, the poor girl was so tired of it all, sighed in frustration.

"Could you two perhaps argue somewhere else?" Kiren scowled at us.

"No, that won't be needed. He was leaving anyway," I hinted at the vampire.

Mr. Bunny refused. "I am not. We need to talk."

"We don't need to do diddly squat. Just leave," I snapped.

"No seriously, take your lover's spat somewhere else," Jade intervened.

"Lover's spat?" I repeated in disbelief.

"Yea, you're reminding me of Erica and me…how we used to fight." He had a far away look.

I spun to face Mr. Bunny, not wanting to see Jade's face in pain. "You leave first."

He stomped his foot. "Absolutely not."

"Come on, Mr. Bunny, ladies first," I grinned.

"So you would agree with me if I called you a beast?" he narrowed his eyes.

I glared at him. "I'm not afraid of you, you pink panties wearing-"

"STOP! Before you go any further!" he cut me off.

Jade wiggled an eyebrow at the vampire. "You wear pink panties?"

Mr. Bunny flushed red. "I _do_ not."

"Stealing from girls, aren't you ashamed?" Jade teased.

"I. Do. NOT. Wear. Panties!" Mr. Bunny yelled.

"Boys!" Kiren whined. "Stop!"

I laughed as they sized each other up, electricity crackling between them. Jade was just having fun, but Mr. Bunny was in a foul mood.

Mr. Bunny turned to me. "When are you ever going to keep your mouth shut?"

"Hey at least she's not threatening to castrate you, that's an improvement," Jade laughed.

Mr. Bunny paled. "You told him about that!"

"Oh no, she threatens every guy like that so I assumed she threatened you too."

"Give me that damn weapon of yours," Mr. Bunny snapped, glaring at me as if I betrayed him. "You need a good whack."

"Wait, wait," Jade laughed, looking at me. "Who's the dumbass that gave _you_ a weapon?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean Jade?" I laughed at him, pretending to be offended with my right hand over my heart.

A spark of jealousy went off in Mr. Bunny's eyes and he glared at Jade, and I became confused as to why Mr. Bunny was suddenly jealous. Was he envious of the friendship Jade and I had? Did he not want me to have other guy friends? Not wanting to have a mini war happen, I grabbed Mr. Bunny's hand and dragged him along my side, throwing a "See you guys later" over my shoulder. However, once we were out of the Moon dorms I didn't have to drag him because he began to walk willingly with me—even going as far as holding my hand.

I was glad it was night. I didn't want to him to see my face changing colors.

"Serena…" His voice was soft, almost pleading. Like he wanted me to look at him but I continued walking and stared at the ground.

I felt him squeeze my hand, causing a cold rush up my arm.

I came to a halt and stared at him. "What now?"

He narrowed his eyes but even in the dark I could tell he was pouting.

"We don't talk anymore," he said.

I almost face-planted again.

Here I thought he was going to bring up what I had said earlier but instead he complains about our lack of communication! How TYPICAL!

I narrowed my eyes at him in annoyance. "Are you blaming me?"

"No…I just don't like us not talking," he mumbled, playing with my fingers.

I gently tugged my hand free of him. "Then talk to me."

There was a pause of silence.

That must have it then. He was jealous that Jade and I could carry a conversation so easily without any of these awkward silences.

"We have to bring Hoshi with us," he replied after a while. He sounded upset.

I twitched. "Hoshi? The guy with white hair? The vampire who helped Kaede? The one that was caught? The one that-"

"Are you going to go on listing everything about him?" he interrupted, annoyed.

I folded my arms over my chest. "Why is he coming?"

"We're bringing him because we need a bargaining tool. Return Hoshi and we get Kaede." He shrugged. He wasn't telling me something. I could tell because he was avoiding my eyes. He looked at his hands and then he looked at my hands.

There was dried blood on my hands. It was my blood. I wonder if it's bothering him.

"What?" I asked, trying to hide my hands behind my skirt.

He cleared his throat. "Nothing."

Awkward silence.

"So…when do I leave for Russia?"

"December fifteenth, when winter break begins," he answered.

"What? You sound depressed," I frowned.

"We should be going with more people, but Kaname-sama says it would only draw more attention. It just bothers me. There's a possibility, if she really is there, that her clan is with her. That's a lot of vampires to face off. I can't fight all-"

"You know I'm still standing in front of you, right?" I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. "I didn't die while facing the ex-human."

"But that's just it. You only fought an ex-human. You've never fought against a Noble vampire! They're capable of so much more!" he snapped.

Damn. He had a point.

I growled. "Well, get over it. Or you know what? Better idea. I refuse to be the damsel in distress so _you_ train me."

He blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Train me. You said I had no experience fighting with noble vampires so…train me. Fight me," I told him, whipping out the Blood Star.

He became furious. "I am NOT fighting you."

"Hanabusa, I AM going whether YOU like it or NOT. I WILL fight Kaede and I WILL kill her, even if it means dying in the process," I said fiercely.

We glared at each other.

"Fine but not right now. You were shaking earlier and I bet you haven't completely recovered from your first kill either," he mumbled, looking away. "I'll…fight you…when you're in better shape."

I scowled. "Fine. Tomorrow then."

His face blew up like a puffer fish. "NO! You won't just heal over night, idiot!"

"Well it's not like I have that much time left, you moron! December fifteenth is two weeks and five days from now!" I snapped.

He exhaled loudly. "In four days then."

I growled. "Two."

"Four. I'm not giving in this time."

"Like I give a damn. If I have to I'll attack another vampire."

He narrowed his eyes. "Serena..."

"So two it is!" I smirked.

"Three!"

"Fine! Three days then!" I threw my hands into the air in frustration.

"You are such a pain in the ass!" he shouted.

"Oh sure, like you're the country's favorite saint too!" I snapped and he turned away from me, mumbling about something. "Where are you going?"

"To bed! The sun will be up soon and I'll be damned before I miss my sleep for you!" he yelled.

I snorted. "Well fine! I'm going to bed too! I have classes to go to later!"

I heard him laugh scornfully. "No you don't, you imbecile. It's Sunday!"

I flushed red. Whoops. Forgot about that.

"Whatever!" I shouted and spun around.

I stomped back to my room, noticing the empty bed where Kiren slept. I guessed that she was either still playing video games or she was with Takuma.

I was surprised to see Kiren playing video games with Jade of all people. I didn't even know they knew each other—or that they were friends.

Something must have happened while I was gone.

I slowly dressed into my pajamas, suddenly feeling the pain and soreness.

My arms felt really stiff—good thing Mr. Bunny refused to fight.

I smiled a little. We were back to normal.

* * *

I didn't count on the blonde rabbit to follow me around for the next two days, making sure I wasn't overexerting myself.

He also caught me off guard when he began to open doors for me. That progressed to carrying my books and other school supplies. He sometimes came to my class and took notes for me when I got too tired and slept through the lecture.

It was nice, very odd and surprising, but nice. I found that I enjoyed his attention…_a lot_. But there were times that I became annoyed.

"Where are you going?" Mr. Bunny frowned as I walked off the school's campus.

I rolled my eyes. "Do you want a schedule of my life?"

"Sure, why not?" he grunted.

Nosy little shit.

"My foot will be up your ass in five minutes."

He chuckled. "I told you. I'm not fighting you."

"You will tomorrow. You promised."

"I promised you nothing," he scoffed.

"We agreed to three days," I growled.

"That's not saying much," he grinned.

"Are you implying that I can't trust you to keep your word?"

He grinned more broadly.

"Hanabusa, I _will_ march up to that Ruka chick and hit her with the Blood Star if you don't keep your word."

That turned his smile upside down.

"Serena…" he warned me.

"You started it." I stuck out my tongue.

He sighed loudly. "You're a pain."

"You've already established that."

"Idiot."

"Pansy."

"Bitch."

"Pink-panties wearing bunny." I laughed at his face.

"Take that back," he growled.

"Nope!"

"You know, I could just kick your ass right now and let it be done with."

"Then what's stopping you?" I asked deviously.

"You'd be unconscious for a long time—long enough that you would miss in the action in Russia, which isn't a bad idea except I know that when I got back from Russia I'd have to listen to you nag about how you wanted to be the one to kill Kaede," he sneered.

"Yea, 'cause you're just worried about me nagging," I laughed. "You don't want me to kill you either."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Never said you were." I grinned.

"You were hinting at it though," he scowled.

"I was not!" I lied.

"It would be so easy to kill you, seriously."

I didn't make a remark this time. He was staring at me with concern, as if he was picturing my death in his mind. He didn't seem pleased to remember that I was human. Being human meant being fragile.

"Then help improve me," I said.

He looked away. "Jokes aside—where are you going? We're off campus."

I sighed. "I just wanted to take a walk."

I was telling the truth. Nothing serious needed to be done today. I wanted some relaxation—something I couldn't do at the school where all the constant remainders of my responsibilities hung over my head.

"Oh sure, just a stroll in the park where vampires could attack you—especially now, since you're still sore and wounded," he retorted sardonically.

"Don't fuss too much mother bird."

"Stop giving me animal pet names. They're annoying."

"Fine. Pansy."

He growled. I laughed. We make a marvelous couple.

I came to a halt, causing him to knock into me. Did I seriously just think 'couple'?

"What the fuck woman! Give me a warning!" he snapped.

"Watch your mouth young man! You have a lady with you!" an old man reprimanded the vampire.

Hanabusa gave him the evil eye.

"Behave," I said to him, not wanting a human to be attacked.

He mumbled under his breath. "As if she could pass as a lady."

I let the comment slide. We were in the middle of the streets now, walking among the local folk that lived in the nearby city.

"Don't order me. Only Kaname-sama has that ability," he growled.

"I wasn't ordering you." I sighed.

"Yes you were."

"I was not!"

"Children! You are in my way!" A merchant yelled at us. He was directing a carriage. "Go on now! Take your business somewhere else!"

I stepped aside. Hanabusa mimicked me.

He snorted as the man left. "Child? I'm older than he is. How dare he-"

"Then step on it grandpa. You're falling behind," I told him, walking a few feet ahead of him now.

"Serena!" he shouted angrily, catching up to me.

"Don't yell at me!"

"Well don't walk off without me!"

"That's your fault! Pay attention!"

"UGH! YOU'RE SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS!"

"YOUNG MAN! I TOLD YOU TO WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!" The same old man scolded. "DO I NEED TO GET MY BAR OF SOAP?"

"It's okay, we're leaving," I scowled, heading back to the school.

Hanabusa gave the old man his middle finger when he wasn't looking.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on Pansy. We're going back."

"Well that was pointless," he snorted.

"It was pointless because you were with me," I glared.

"You say that, but you actually love the fact that I'm with you," he smirked.

I quickly tried to cover up my reaction by pretending to trip. How had he known that I liked his company? Had I become easy to read?

"You clumsy imbecile," he muttered, lifting me by the arms from the ground.

I groaned as I felt my arms cringe in pain.

As he least he didn't know I tripped on purpose.

I pretended to be annoyed. "Don't go saying stupid things like that. As if I'd actually enjoy a vampire's company."

He looked seriously wounded by that comment. "Well, excuse me."

He straightened his back and marched ahead of me, stomping the ground like a child throwing a tantrum.

Ah shit.

"Hanabusa! Wait!" I shouted after him but he wouldn't let up.

Oh yea. I definitely _royally_ pissed him off.

* * *

The moon was full tonight but every now and then a cloud would cover it like a blanket. The school's campus was illuminated when the moon shone—exposing all the hidden crooks and crannies where people could hide. My eyes were weary of the shadows that sprinted into the corners of the staircases and windows.

I scowled, jumping from the top of the building to the lower roofs of the school. The Blood Star clanked as the bottom of it hit the ground and I rose up from my crouching stance.

Hanabusa was supposed to be here. He was supposed to fight me tonight. Was he not keeping his promise?

I tightened my grip on the rod of the Blood Star.

_Well, if he didn't want to fight me…_

I grinned, thinking of the ash blonde haired vampire. She would want to fight me. Ruka seemed like the type to hold grudges against humans who nearly assaulted her. I ran with the breeze tangling itself within my hair, spreading it like a fan around my face. My leg muscles were still sore, but I could move my arms without wincing.

I was an inch away from the Moon Dorms—the guard had gotten used to seeing me since Jade was brought in and didn't bother me as I passed by--- when someone grabbed me by my collar and lifted me.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hanabusa's voice was cold and vicious, cutting my nerves and I looked up at him in surprise.

His oceanic eyes were swirling violently, indicating that he was still pissed at me for my comment yesterday and now he was angry because he knew what I had planned to do.

I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest. "You're late. I thought you weren't going to show. And I told you I'd fight Ruka if you didn't keep your word."

I stretched my toes to try to touch the ground but Hanabusa had me dangling too high in the air.

"I always keep my word," he growled.

"Could you put me down now?" I asked.

He dropped me without bothering to be gentle. Luckily I landed on my feet.

"Grouch," I mumbled under my breath.

"Better make this quick," he ordered.

I quirked an eyebrow at him. "What's the rush?"

"Apparently you don't like being with vampires," he smirked cruelly.

Okay. I knew I deserved that verbal slap to the face.

"Yea, I know. I'm sorry for—"

"Save your apologies for someone who cares," he interrupted and then quickly demanded, "Take your position."

It took me a few seconds to decide to just drop it. Maybe if I let him beat me to a pulp he'd get over it—like Erica used to. I brought out the Blood Star and twirled the rod before placing it in front of me, the spikes bursting out a second later. He stood completely straight, eyes fierce like a wild predator and one of his fists was clenched. The atmosphere around him suddenly dropped to a very cold temperature and I could have sworn I felt an icy breeze pass through me.

_What did I just get myself into?_

"Ladies first," he said and I didn't argue with him this time.

I ran forward, swinging the Blood Star towards his head but he blocked it…_with a frozen solid arm._

What the fuck? He has ice powers? Why didn't anyone bother to inform me of that?

A small explosion sounded and ice ejected from the ground, knocking me onto my ass and the Blood Star was taken out of my hands.

_Oh SHIT!_

I dodged him as he attacked me with my own weapon, knowing better to fight him with my bare hands. I did a few back handsprings to escape his wrath. He purposely dropped the Blood Star onto the ground, which created a huge roaring sound and the ground crumbled from its power.

"QUIT RUNNING AWAY!" he bellowed.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FIGHT YOU? YOU TOOK MY WEAPON!" I shouted bitterly.

He laughed a sadistic laugh. "You shouldn't depend on your weapon!"

Damn him. Of course he was right.

He leaped for me, his arm spreading more ice into the air and I quickly ducked away from the icicles that were flung at me.

_Is he trying to kill me? _

I slid underneath him, going in between his legs and spun around to kick him in the back---he was too fast for me. I was on my ass again before I could even breathe.

He held the Blood Star near my throat, narrowing his eyes sharply at me. "Still think you can take on a Noble?"

A slow smile formed on my face. "I'll die if I have to."

"Do that and you'll leave your mother to the vampires of higher class," he retorted, knowing it would strike a nerve.

I jumped to my feet, cutting my neck a little on a long spike and threw a punch at him. He dodged it. I tried to kick his side and he dodged that too.

"Not fast enough," he grunted.

I threw another punch.

"You're pathetic."

I growled, pretending to throw a punch but then I slammed my knee into his gut.

He smirked, swiftly recovering from the blow. "Better."

We spent four hours like that. Punching, kicking, growling and insulting each other. It was the first time I fought a vampire without a weapon.

When it was over I collapsed onto the ground, exhausted. I had new bruises decorating my arms and calves, and my left cheek had become swollen due to the upper cut he delivered. I broke a few bones in my hand from when I tried to punch him but he covered himself in ice at the last second.

_**Bastard.**_

He wasn't even out of breath—unlike me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, mocking me.

"Fuck you," I replied tiredly.

He shook his head in distaste. "Definitely not a lady."

I ignored his comment and spread myself onto the ground. I was not getting up for a very long time.

"Come on, the sun is rising. I have to get to bed and you have classes to attend," he grumbled, nudging me with his foot. "Get up! We have to go!

I shot him a deadly glare, as if to dare him. "I'm not moving. You can leave if you want, but I'm not budging for a while."

"I can't just leave you here," he argued.

"Whatever. Just go."

He snarled, picking me up. He cradled me in his arms.

"HEY! PUT ME DOWN! I DIDN'T SAY PICK ME UP!"

He laughed indifferently. "I don't need your permission."

I glared at him, not bothering to squirm because I knew it would hurt me more than him thanks to my injuries.

"You just want to carry me," I joked.

Instead of blushing, he became angry. "I don't know about that. I don't really enjoy spending time with humans. It's like a chore—to be with the inferior."

I smacked him really hard with my good hand, leaving a red handprint on his cheek. It caught him so off guard that he stopped walking and stared at me, bewildered.

"Look, I know what I said was wrong but I apologized, didn't I? And I know that apologies don't solve everything and that I have to suffer the consequences, but I don't remember making any comments of who was better than who and I won't let you belittle me just because I happen to be physically weaker than you," I fumed.

He set me on my feet, aggravated. "Good bye Serena."

It took a lot of willpower to stay on my feet because I literally had no energy to stand and I felt tremendously weak.

When the vampire was out of my sight, I fell back onto the ground.

I groaned. "I'm gonna have to crawl back aren't I?"

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXX

I have fixed what needed to be fixed--like I promised.

Notes on the characters: Serena has accepted the fact that she likes Aidou, which is why she has started to refer him as Hanabusa rather than Mr. Bunny . That doesn't mean she won't argue with him. And Aidou is going through a complicated phase: he's caught between his loyalty to Kaname and his affection for Serena, which would explain why he avoided scolding her thoroughly when she verbally attacked Kaname. Jealous of Jade? Somewhat. Jade has it easy when it comes to Serena since it's just friendship--he doesn't have to choose between two people.

Please feel free to inform me of any grammar mistakes and character errors.


	21. Winter's Challenge

Chapter twenty-one: Winter's Challenge

I was in a well-furnished room—candles were everywhere, expensive fur rugs covered the floor, and paintings of creepy people stared at me from the walls. It was an incredibly hot room, causing my skin to stick to the sheets. My eyes found themselves studying the empty flasks, the bubbling cauldrons, the broken bottles scattered on the ground and the chemicals captured in tiny containers. I figured that since I wasn't chained up or being beaten to death, the person in front of me didn't want me dead yet.

"You're going to want to drink that," she said cheerfully, referring to the beverage she had handed to me minutes ago. She had an irritable, perky voice that made my ears cringe. "Drink and be merry."

"Yeah. Drink and be dead is what it really translates to," I muttered, avoiding the violet liquid. It had a foul smell.

I frowned, not being able to recall what happened to me hours beforehand. Glancing at my body, I could only guess that I was in a battle. I had various bruises, multiple deep cuts and I could not feel my legs. I didn't know if that was good or bad, seeing as I was too anxious to really think.

"What is this contraption?" She twirled my Blood Star curiously, which was strange to watch since the Blood Star was bigger than her. She only stood at five feet and was toothpick skinny.

I groaned, muttering, "It's mine."

She eyed me with her eerie white irises. "I didn't ask if it was yours."

"Who are you?" I glared. I sounded like a frog.

She smirked, revealing her fangs. "It's rude to ask my name without introducing yourself first."

I twitched, remembering that Kaede had said the same damn thing once. "I don't care if I'm being rude."

The red haired vampire casually dropped the Blood Star and sat on my legs, causing me to shriek in agony. A searing jolt of pain shook me and I continued to scream. Satisfied that she now had me screaming, she hopped off, wanting to get out of reach. I fell off the bed as my body convulsed into inhumane angles.

She giggled as began to braid my hair like nothing happened. "I forgot to mention that your legs are broken."

I seethed through my teeth, trying to regain my control. "Anything... else?"

"Legs, arms…your spine was a bit messed up when I found you, but I took care of that," she winked. "Thora."

"Thora what?" I asked impatiently.

"That's my name."

I gave her my best death glare. "What do you want?"

"Information is all," she said, throwing back her red bouncy curls. "Such as what were you doing with my prey?"

"Your…prey?" I shot her a confused look.

"Yes, you had someone with you that belonged to me."

"What the hell are you talking about? I didn't have anyone," I snarled.

"Yes you did. In fact, you had a lovely group with you," she stated calmly. "One male with _fabulous_ blonde hair, one male with black hair and an eye missing, one male with silver hair and another with white."

I blinked. "I don't…"

"It doesn't really matter though. Everyone on that train is dead now."

My eyes widened. "Train?"

She tilted her head, curious. "You don't remember? Though it would make sense. You _did_ hit your head pretty hard. In fact, you smashed right into the next train cart—that's how you screwed up your spine. Perhaps you have amnesia?"

I frowned. This was NOT good. She had too many advantages over me. One, I'm injured. Two, I couldn't remember diddlysquat. Three, she obviously knew what had happened to me. Four…well, my head hurt too much to think of more.

"Hang on here, I know those descriptions…" I stared at her, desperately trying to remember what happened. "They were on the train with me?"

I was on a train with Hanabusa, Zero and Yagari-sama...since when?

"Yes," she said bluntly.

"But you just said that everyone on the train died…" My voice trailed off.

"I know that."

But that meant...

I shook my head vigorously. "You're wrong. They're not dead."

"Oh but they are. The explosion that went off in the train was me," she replied.

I roared, smacking her hand away from my hair. "YOU ATTACKED THE TRAIN?"

She snorted. "Well, it was under attack to begin with. I just let loose a bomb filled with the nerve gas that killed everyone _else_."

"But that means…they can't be…no. _No._ They're not dead." I shook my head harder.

"If denial works for you, then so be it. Right now I want some information. Why did you have Nunki Hoshi with you?" She snarled, suddenly inches from my face. I could smell fresh blood in her breath.

I glared darkly at her. She had drunk someone's blood earlier.

Mine? Hanabusa's? Zero's? Yagari-sama's? Or some poor human?

I growled.

"Your friends are dead, Missy. I saw their heads explode myself," she smirked, taking pleasure in my pain.

She began to laugh as I squirmed under her hands, trying to whack them away. Yet it was like I wasn't in the room with her. My mind felt caged by the flashes of images and clips of memories that slipped through the cracks of my injured brain.

_Hanabusa....Zero...Yagari-sama...._

They could _not _be gone.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" She shook my shoulders and looked me over when I didn't respond, seeming excited. "You're turning colors…did you stop breathing?"

And I vomited right on her.

She squeaked in surprise, recoiling with disgust and released me. I would have laughed if circumstances were different.

"You…bitch," I slurred. I was starting to lose feeling in my lips. "You...MURDERED…my friends."

She grunted as she cleaned herself. "If I did, it's not my problem. Whether you like it or not, you're going to tell me what you were doing with Nunki Hoshi."

Nunki Hoshi...the white haired vampire who tortured me. And now I had a disturbed red head bent on driving me insane. How the hell do I manage to get myself into these messes?

I looked for my Blood Star, which was out of reach much to my dismay and I tried to crawl to it but my limbs were becoming numb.

I had become paralyzed.

"The poison is activating finally," she said gleefully, skipping around me.

"Po..ison? When…?" I tried to get back on my knees but collapsed back onto the floor.

"Yes, a human made poison called Sarin that I modified so it would kill vampires as well. You breathed in when you were in the train. I had kept it at bay for the past few days because I wanted to talk to you," she smirked. "You have seven hours before I toss your body in with your boyfriends."

I screamed at her---not because I knew I was dying or because my muscles were deteriorating. I screamed because I wanted to tear out the woman's lifeless heart and smash her skull in, but didn't have the ability to do so.

My screams came out as pathetic gurgles.

_God damn poison._

She giggled, patting me on the head as she skipped by and grabbed my bag. "I wanted to wait before I went through your belongings..."

I grunted. It was the only thing I could do.

She winked at me as she continued. "Because it's rude, you know? But since you're not giving me answers and dying…might as well, right?"

I lied there as she threw my extra layers of clothing out and my map of Russia and the routes that I was supposed to take to find Kaede out of my bag. She tilted her head at me--like she wanted to see if I would challenge her.

"Giving in yet?" I heard her ask.

I shook my head slowly, causing drool to drip everywhere on her floor. Not a second later, I vomited again. I tasted blood this time.

She frowned. "That won't be any fun to clean."

It wasn't until maybe three hours later, after she had spent her time studying the map to get an idea of what I was up to, that she grabbed me by my hair and dragged me across the floor. She picked me up as if I weighed only a pound and dropped me onto the bed I was on earlier.

My head rolled back, side-to-side and finally drooped down. I felt pathetic for not being able to even keep my head up to glare at her.

"Where did you get that necklace?" She removed the sun and moon fused gift that the Chairman gave to me.

I tried to say it was mine but drooled instead.

"Did you steal it, hmm?" She narrowed her eyes dangerously.

I moved my head side-to-side. She hurled me off the bed and effortlessly knocked me into the wall with her leg.

"This necklace," she hissed furiously as she held it in front of my face. "Belongs to the Heolstor clan. It's been passed through generation to generation. The last person to have it was Chiara Fontana, so I am asking you politely how did you get it?"

I giggled. I don't even know why I giggled, but I couldn't help it.

Everything seemed funny all of the sudden.

"Oh you think that's funny, huh? You thought it was funny when you killed her? When you stole from her?" she snarled, digging her nails into my neck. "Then maybe you'll think it's funny when I drain you alive."

I couldn't focus. The scent of my blood on her nails made me woozy—it made me reach for the necklace.

And for some reason, I felt stronger when I had it in my hand.

"Mom," I whispered faintly.

That's when I started to cry.

I knew I failed. I was never going to save her. It was over.

For her.

For me.

**_Over._**

But the digging stopped and Thora was looking at me questioningly.

"Did you just call the necklace 'Mom'?"

I didn't answer her. I passed out.

* * *

_**Four days earlier**_

We arrived in China during midday, giving me the opportunity to get a glimpse of China's environment. The streets were overcrowded, the smell of fish and gas from vehicles rotted the air, and their foreign language buzzed in and out of my ears. I felt like I was in New York City during New Years.

Don't get me started on the food.

I was brave enough to try new dishes and miraculously kept the food in my stomach.

Yagari-sama wasn't so lucky. He stuck to his good old faithful noodles after he couldn't handle the stuff I ate.

Hanabusa was directly behind me, keeping an eye the hostage he dragged with him. Hoshi, the white haired creep who tortured me back when Kaede had me in her clutches, was not happy to be cuffed to the blonde noble vampire. He complained, whined, and mouthed off whenever he had the chance.

Zero was walking ahead of us, scanning the area. Once in a while he'd stop, put his hand on the Blood Rose and narrow his eyes into cautious slits. I once asked Yagari-sama why Zero was acting so strangely and he explained that China was one of the few countries that vampires avoided. The nobles and pure bloods believed that because China had such an overwhelming human population, it would be too tempting for a vampire to devour them rather than live with them peacefully. It was sort of an unspoken law among the vampires that no vampire would be allowed to settle in China.

So in other words, should I run into a vampire I was to kill them without any hesitation or become the meal of the day.

"This train reeks," Hoshi mumbled, sticking his nose into his hands. "And I can't see a damn thing."

"That's the point." Hanabusa threw him in a seat.

Zero had blindfolded Hoshi moments before stepping onto the train, saying that he didn't need to know where we were heading. Of course, Hoshi didn't know where we going at all. The only thing we told him as we left Japan was that he was going on a field trip.

I rolled my eyes. "We still have time—I don't see why we can't."

Yagari-sama sighed, keeping his attention focused on the window. "While that does sound tempting, my answer is still no."

"That's the sixth time you've suggested bodily harm. Don't get too anxious," Zero frowned, eyes trained on the other humans.

"What's one limb?" I smirked at the bastard. "He didn't hesitate to torture me or take Jade's arm off."

"Serena, do I really have to remind you that it was _us_ who removed his arm?" Yagari-sama replied. He was becoming irritated with my behavior.

"Yeah, but he's the indirect cause of the removal," I said.

"Which limb?" Hanabusa sounded enthusiastic, causing the vampire hunters to stare at him questioningly. "Don't say he doesn't deserve it."

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop talking about me as if I wasn't here," Hoshi growled. "I can STILL hear you."

"His tongue would suffice," I grinned deviously.

"Oooh…suffice…she used a big word," Hanabusa teased.

"It would draw attention." Yagari-sama interrupted me before I could smack the noble vampire.

I snorted. "There are only humans on this train—what's the risk?"

"Ah yes, I bet the humans would react just _adorably_ as you rip out his tongue," Zero reprimanded me.

"And we're not certain that we're the only vampires here, you imbecile," Hanabusa reminded me.

Zero scowled as I began to sulk. "Could you sit somewhere else? Give me some peace."

"Oh yeah? And where would you have me sit your royal highness?" I sneered, indicating that the train was completely filled.

"Right there." Zero pointed to a group of empty seats left behind by a group of preteens as they got off the train.

I fumed. "FINE THEN!"

I got up and marched to the seats, stubbornly crossed my arms and plopped myself into one of the seats. Hanabusa followed me over, causing Hoshi to be dragged on the floor behind him. I narrowed my eyes at the two and decided to ignore them both. I glanced outside the window, taking in the snow and bright multi-colored bulbs. I blew on the window, creating a small fog spot and involuntarily shivered as the wind whistled outside.

"Cold?" Hanabusa gave me a mocking grin.

I glared at him.

"Don't give me that look," he smirked, leaning further against the seat. "I told you to dress warmly."

"I _am_ dressed warmly! I have so many clothes on that I can barely walk! I FRICKIN' WADDLE!" I snapped.

"Well." He exhaled slowly. "You could always strip them off."

A vein popped on my forehead and I clenched my fist. "Hanabusa…"

"This was your brilliant idea, imbecile. I mean who in their right mind plans to travel to the place we're going to during the winter season?" He left out 'Russia' because Hoshi was listening to our conversation.

My nostrils flared. "Don't make me hit you."

He sneered. "Never stopped you before."

I opened my mouth to say something but then quickly closed it. I still felt guilty for slapping him the last time I saw him. I was surprised to even see him the morning we left Japan, figuring that he would be too angry to join the group. I had theory that the only reason he still wanted to come was to make sure Kaede ate me. I eyed him suspiciously despite recalling Takuma's words, wondering if Hanabusa was waiting for an apology or imagining my death.

Takuma had told me, "Oh, he's still going to follow you to Russia. No matter how pissed off he is, he cares too much to let you go there without him. Though I wouldn't question him while you're out there. I wouldn't put it pass him if he tried to get a little even so he can win back his dignity."

Wanting to avoid the subject, I averted my attention to the vampire hunters.

Zero was on his feet, eyes closed as if in deep concentration. Yagari-sama was still staring outside, one arm draped across his seat and the other in his lap. I stared at the group, wondering if I really wanted to face Kaede. I realized once we got to China that my chances of actually surviving were slim. The spar I had with Hanabusa gave me a hard reality check of what it was like fighting a noble vampire, and I knew I wasn't going to fighting just one. The up side was that I had three strong fighters with me, the down side was that there was still no guarantee that I would survive the confrontation.

I was swimming in dangerous waters.

Note to future self: Do not leave home without a really good plan or someone willing to save my dumbass.

"Hanabusa…" I started to say but I was cut off.

The train came to an abrupt halt and I would have been thrown out of my seat if not for Hanabusa's fast reflexes. He had me by the waist and tucked close to his chest in seconds. Hoshi wasn't so lucky. The cuff that had him attached to Hanabusa's wrist broke off and he went flying. He landed against a window, cracking it with his forehead.

Zero and Yagari-sama had managed to tighten their grips on the seats in front of them, and they gave each other a knowing look before drawing out their weapons. Not a second after the train stopped, the side doors were forced open and two black blurs attacked a group of four people sitting in front of me. I was thrown aside before I could even register what was going on, hitting the floor with my head. When everything slowed down so my human eyes could follow, I groaned in disbelief.

Every human in my cart was drained of blood.

_Vampires. Fuck my luck. _

I heard someone gurgle and found Hanabusa strangling a slim, blue haired man. He had him pinned to the roof of the train. Zero had the Blood Rose pointed at the back of a woman's head, who was suddenly standing right in front of me.

"God you're fucking fast," I swore as she blurred again.

A gun went off, someone screamed in Chinese, and I was soaring into the air. I crashed into the next train cart, screaming in pain as I felt my bones break.

"SERENA!" Hanabusa shouted in alarm.

A cold, pale feminine hand wrapped my throat and squeezed.

"This is your grave," she whispered hoarsely.

Something exploded, causing everything to go black.

And to be honest, at that moment I thought I died.

-------------------

_**Present time**_

My head throbbed. My body ached. I wasn't in pain but I felt so tremendously tired. I was back in my winter clothes, wearing the multiple layers. I could feel the cold metal of the sun and moon fused necklace back on my collarbone. It relaxed me.

I was on someone's back. I figured that since no warmth radiated from their body, the person was a vampire.

Or maybe the familiar red curls on top of the head were a dead giveaway.

"What…happened?" I asked, surprised that I could form words again.

"You were cured," Thora answered, bouncing as she walked.

I blinked a couple of times, trying to adjust to the light that the snow reflected. "Where…are we? And _what_ are you doing? Where are you taking me? What the hell did you do to me?"

She chuckled. "We are in Kazakhstan. I'm following the directions your map outlined to take you to Russia."

"And…_why_ would you do that?" I was fighting the urge to kick in my heels. "_**What** _the _HELL_ are you planning?"

"I learned that we have a common enemy: The Bokyo Clan. And you mentioned in your sleep that you wanted to kill a Kaede—I can only think of Bokyo Kaede."

I paused, confused. "I don't talk in my sleep."

"Apparently you do if it is induced by poison," she said.

I growled. "Yeah about that."

"You are cured of the poison. I made sure of that."

"Do I want to know how?"

"Oh that's simple. You drank my blood," she answered playfully.

"Why the hell are you so happy about that?" I felt the urge to vomit again. "And stop sounding so damn perky. It's annoying. And you can't take me to Russia now! I can't face her alone!"

She laughed. A loud, genuine laugh. "My child, it is not often I come across a relative. And to have someone who belongs to your family drink—"

"HOLD UP! FAMILY?" I shrieked, wiggling on her back.

She stopped walking, looking up at me with a big grin. "Well, yes, we're related. I am Thora Heolstor. Your mother, Chiara Fontana, is my great-great-great-great-great grand niece."

"You lie…" I glared darkly.

She bounced again, unaffected. "No dear. I knew you belonged to the Heolstor-Fontana clan the moment I smelled your blood. That's why I made you drink my blood, the only cure to the poison I modified. And let me tell you, it's always rejuvenating to have a relative drink your blood."

My eyebrows furrowed. "You're nuts."

"Well, that too. So what's your name? I didn't catch it."

I growled. "I never gave it. And don't think that just because we're relatives...somehow… means that I will forgive you for what you did to my friends!"

"Oh they're alive!" she laughed. "I lied to you. They're probably looking for you as we speak, but if they're smart they'll go to Russia anyway because that's where you're _supposed_ to be going. And every smart person knows that if someone gets lost they have to meet them at their planned destination."

I suppose that makes sense...my head hurts too much to think. I was going to have to count on Yagari-sama and Zero to be smart. Hanabusa was probably in a hysterical state of mind.

"My name is Serena Fontana." I rubbed my eyes.

She clicked her tongue. "Pretty name."

"Where's my Blood Star?" Relative or not, I _still _wanted to bash her skull in. She lied to me.

_**LIED.** GOD DAMN IT!_

"It's on me somewhere. I packed it," she replied.

I sniffled, unable to stop the tears from prickling my eyes.

"Are you crying?" she asked playfully and tried to look.

"No," I snapped, pushing her head down.

"You're lying. I can smell salt," she giggled.

"Just shut up and keep going."

* * *

As time went on, Thora talked about what happened on the train after I passed out. Apparently the two vampires that attacked the train were aided by two more, and three out of the four vampires are dead. Tolucan Rufin, the blue haired vampire that Hanabusa protected me from, was the only one to survive.

Tolucan married into the Bokyo clan, becoming Thora's prime target because he murdered her human lover a century ago. In turn, Thora killed Tolucan's wife, Nagisa Bokyo. According to her, Tolucan had the ability to produce acid with sweat on his hands and that ruled out hand-to-hand combat for me.

She informed me that Hanabusa and the others left the train the moment her bomb went off. She said Yagari-sama recognized her, spotting her outside of the train when he looked out the window. It was probably why he didn't throw a fit when she kidnapped me.

He knew who she was. And he knew of the relation.

_Damn bastard could have warned me._

Thora also bragged about her past achievements.

In the past, she killed Tonya Bokyo by poisoning her food. She murdered Freya Bokyo, Hilda Rufin, Pleah Bokyo, Morela Rufin and Sakae Nunki during a vampire council meeting.

Eji Bokyo, Galina Rufin, Calder Rufin, Goro Nunki, Hitoshi Bokyo, Chiyo Bokyo and Kagami Bokyo were killed in their own mansion when it exploded thirty years ago. Her nerve gas killed Huyu Bokyo, Akira Bokyo and Ozera Rufin fifteen years ago.

"You make it sound like a sport," I frowned.

She chuckled proudly. "Well, they kill some of our relatives and we kill some of theirs. I just take it a step further. I'll admit—I probably have the highest score of killing most of them."

That didn't sound good at all.

"Do I have more relatives out here?" I asked, changing the topic.

"Not around here, I'm afraid," she said. "There's Vincent Fontana and his wife Roxanne in Ireland…I think they're awaiting their firstborn. Vincent is your second cousin, I think. But they're humans. Then there's Kale Heolstor and his human wife Laurie in Switzerland. Kale is my nephew…that makes him your great-great-great-great uncle."

She had only just begun but my head was already spinning with all these names and I tried my best to keep them straight. I really hated family trees. I could never keep up with who was related to who and how.

She closed her eyes in thought. "Jean Heolstor, Kale's older brother, is in…well, I honestly don't know. He likes to be by himself most of the time. I know his daughter, Diana, just married a human named Michael Ferguson. They live in Alaska. Solange Fontana, your mother's aunt, lives with a vampire whose name escapes me in Texas. And…Celeste Heolstor, your great-great grandma lives in New York. She's some kind of fashion agent when she's not busy with her vampire duties."

"My great-great grandma is a vampire?" I was excited.

"Yes, but she married a human--who died by the way. Her blood is the last vampire blood in the family. Well, for the new generation anyway," she explained blatantly.

I began to wiggle again.

"Hey! Hey! What are you doing? If you have to use the restroom, you'll have to wait till we get to the next exit!" she barked.

I laughed and it felt so good to laugh. When was the last time I truly laughed?

"What are you laughing about?" she asked, confused.

"I'm happy," I grinned. "For years I thought I didn't have a family but it turns out I have so many relatives that-"

"You don't have to finish. I understand," she cut me off.

I stuck my tongue out at her despite the fact I knew she couldn't see me.

A big part of me hoped that, _if I survived_, one day my family would unite in one place.

I wanted to see them all. At least just once.

Maybe I would feel…less angry. But at the same time I wondered if I would be approved. I'm not exactly the world's best angel.

"AH HA!" she shouted suddenly and I nearly fell off her back.

"What? What?" I looked around, finding only snow and bare trees.

"I found the Volga River!" she said with vigor, shaking her fist. "We're going to follow the Volga River up to Kazan City and take a plane to Moscow."

"By plane? I don't know if that's a good idea," I stated. I couldn't make out the river she was talking about either.

"And why not? It's twelve hours if we go from Kazan to Moscow by train," she said, pouting.

I flinched at the word train, not wanting another incident. "But I don't have money with me. Zero carried the money. I can't afford an airplane ticket."

She laughed at me. "Silly Serena, what made you think I was going to let you pay? I already knew you didn't have money. I went through your bag, remember?"

A vein bulged on my forehead. "Well then why didn't you say so?"

"I did." She made a peace sign.

"I meant earlier!" I snapped, irritated by her constant enthusiasm. "UGH! If we weren't related I'd smack you!"

She giggled. "Awww... You're so cute when you make empty threats."

Another vein bulged.

I officially take Hanabusa's arrogance and superiority complex over Thora's perkiness any day.

* * *

Kazan City was like visiting a kingdom. Buildings were constructed like palaces, or at least they looked like palaces. Oddly, they reminded me of Arabian architecture. Most buildings were cream yellow or white with interesting, twisted rooftops. It was a typical city though.

Very busy, very crowded, very noisy.

It was the noise that woke me from my slumber. In fact I don't recall what time we arrived in Kazan City, probably because I slept the entire trip. Though I don't know how I managed to sleep—Thora never shuts up!

When she wasn't talking to me, she was talking to the random animals that appeared. When she wasn't talking to the animals, she was talking to herself. When she wasn't talking to herself, she was singing.

It made me wish I were deaf.

"Here we are." She paused and slipped me off her back. "This is where we will be buying those tickets."

It took me a few seconds to stand since my feet were tickling with numbness. I hate it when my feet fall asleep.

She glanced at me and it was the first time I realized how young she looked. It was like staring at a twelve year old.

She pointed at the ground as I retrieved my bag from her, taking out my map. "You stay right here while I go get them. Don't go anywhere—I wouldn't want you to get lost here."

"I won't get lost," I lied. On a normal day, reading maps wasn't so hard for me, but I was a bit distorted from everything that happened in the last five days.

"And whatever you do," she said while looking at the streets. "Do not look like a tourist. Vampires in Russia are not kind to tourists."

"Uh huh." I nodded my head, half paying attention.

"That means putting away the gigantic map, Serena," she chuckled.

I blinked and then slowly realized what she meant. "Oh! Yeah…my bad."

As she walked away and disappeared into the busy streets, I sat myself on a nearby bench and watched the clouds. I inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the winter season and frowned.

It reminded me of Hanabusa. I wondered if he was okay.

I missed his cranky ass.

"Why, don't you look tired?"

I lazily looked to my right and spotted a girl wearing revealing clothes that made her big boobs seem pointy and exposed her stomach. She was my height with an athletic build, teal layered hair that framed her round baby face, and excited lime green eyes.

"Can I help you with something?" I found it odd that she could speak English. Not seconds after I spoke, the hairs on my neck rose in alarm.

She grinned, showing off her fangs. "I think you can."

I groaned, looking upward.

_Why?** Why**_ _ME?_

"Don't you have someone else to bother?" I sighed, not bothering to move. "Isn't there someone else you can harass?"

She laughed, her voice a melody. I partially wondered if she could sing like an opera singer. "Wow, you're the first lazy Heolstor I've met."

I narrowed my eyes. "For you to use my ancestor's surname means that you belong to the Bokyo clan."

The atmosphere around her became static, causing my hair to stick up in the air. "Good to know that you're at least a little smart."

I frowned. I didn't have the Blood Star on me. I forgot to ask Thora for it before she left. Lady Luck was NOT on my side.

_God damn everything to friggin' hell!_

* * *

I liiveeeee!!! Sorry for the long wait. I desperately need a laptop, but I'm using the family computer.

If I were you, I'd reread the last chapter because I changed a couple of things just to make the fiction flow better.

I don't know when the next chapter will be up...I've decided to wait until I get at least ten reviews before I update again. If I have to, I'll wait for a year to pass before I update. Now the decision is within the reader's hands.

By the way, I hope Thora Heolstor came across as someone who is...generally a happy-go-lucky person, but with a lot of screws missing in her head. That's what I was going for.

Have a good summer!


	22. Will power

Chapter twenty-two: Will power

"Shit!" I shouted, covering my ears as the wall next to me exploded into tiny pieces of bricks.

I scrambled to my feet as the dust picked up and ran behind another wall just before another yellow electrical ball blew up. The people around me screamed in horror as the teal haired vampire, Ayumi, destroyed the sidewalk with her electric shocks.

I sighed in exhaustion.

Why did all the vampires after me have a thing for explosives? Am I that cursed?

I ducked just in time to avoid a flying axe and watched it slice through three walls before it came to a stop.

Oh yea. That would have definitely ended me.

"You're good at dodging." I looked up to see another female vampire standing vertically, her feet firmly planted on the wall. Her orange hair was cut short to her chin and her lime green eyes had Ayumi's malevolent glint.

"She's fast when she's forced to run," Ayumi chimed in, hand on her right hip. "But she's not as strong as her father."

"Then she'll be easy to kill." The orange haired vampire yanked another axe from her back, extending the rod to six feet. "That's too bad. I was looking forward to a workout."

"Don't underestimate me!" I snapped.

"As you wish," Ayumi smirked as she hurled another electrical sphere at me.

I rolled away and leaped into the streets, accidentally hitting someone. I continued to run without checking to see if the person was okay, taking random sharp turns to avoid getting caught by the vampire dual. I knew I couldn't lose them permanently so I desperately needed to plan.

_Where the hell was Thora?_

I stopped to catch my breath and looked around to see if I could use anything as a weapon, and sadly, I only saw a stop sign. Wind suddenly blew down on me and I sprinted, knowing that one of the vampires was jumping down from the roof. Sure enough, the homicidal vampire with an axe made a huge slice into the ground when she landed.

I yanked the stop sign from the ground, swinging it to block the axe that was suddenly inches from my face.

"She's strong too," she grinned wildly and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

I grunted and dug my feet into the snow to hold my ground.

"I want to play with her too." Ayumi pouted from behind me.

I bent my back backwards as I swung the stop sign, avoiding the axe and hitting Ayumi in the face at the same time.

_SCORE!_

I rolled onto the ground and took off again, ears buzzing with Ayumi's shriek of surprise and the other vampire's hysterical laughter.

"OOOH! She got you bad Ayumi! Look at those red marks!"

"YOU'RE MINE BLOOD BAG!" Ayumi angrily threw her yellow spheres at me, causing me to skid to a stop before a bus could run me over.

I covered my head protectively, peeking out to see the bus explode as the sphere split it in half. To my horror, human body parts scattered everywhere.

"Fuck!" I cursed under my breath. I needed a way to kill them and it had to be fast before they wiped out the whole city.

_WHERE THE HELL IS THORA?_

_Think Serena. Think. _

And the idea struck me on the head like a basketball missing the net.

SNOW MELTS!

If I could somehow get the vampires wet with snow, then they should be electrocuted…right? RIGHT?

Luckily I was ahead of the vampires and the humans were distracting them with their screams. I sprinted into a hotel, barely evading an attack from the ax-wielding maniac. I slammed my shoulder into a wall as I hurriedly climbed the stairs to the top of the roof and smirked when I found a frozen pool. I scanned the area and found a nearby roof top. It wasn't going to be a pleasant landing, but I rather a broken bone than a barbequed body.

As expected, Ayumi blasted her way through and I jumped off the roof as the hotel collapsed. The ice cracked and water splashed everywhere, turning the surrounding snow into slush. I landed badly, totally missing the other roof and crashed onto the pavement. I bit my lip so hard it bled to prevent myself from screaming in agony, knowing I had broken both of my legs. I wasn't going to let them know that I was vulnerable now.

"Look at the mess you've created!" Ayumi shrieked, pointing at her face. "YOU RUINED MY FACE!"

"There wasn't much to ruin in the first place," I grunted, using my arms to crawl away.

_Ow. Oww. Ow. Ow. Ow. Owwww. Broken bones hurt A LOT!!!_

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did you say?"

"Oh," I laughed, breathing out. "You heard me."

"Let me cut her head in half." The ax wielder grinned. "She won't be pretty either."

Ayumi shot her companion a glare, which the other vampire shrugged off. "I can't help it if I'm more appealing than you."

Ayumi fumed, becoming redder in the face and electricity crackled in her palms. "Shut up Naoko."

Ayumi swiftly launched towards me and just as she was about to kill me, she abruptly erupted from the inside out and my face was splattered with her remains.

Naoko's jaw dropped. I numbly stared at her, just as shocked as she was.

My plan had work. Though I had thought I would have been electrocuted as well.

Score one for the newbie.

"What…how…?" Naoko glared at me spitefully.

I pointed at the slush by our feet wordlessly.

"You…you little…" Naoko's nostrils flared. "You're finished. You have no more tricks up your sleeve!"

Just as she said those words, a familiar small hand went through her chest and Naoko's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh!" Thora chirped, perky as fucking ever. "But she does!"

Naoko's body ended up like Ayumi's—all over the place. Thora whistled as she cleaned off Ayumi's remains from my face.

"Legs hurt?" she asked, roughly poking them.

My eyes bulged and I pressed my lips tightly to keep from screaming at her.

_OWWWWWWWW! DAMN IT! DOES IT HURT? REALLY? **REALLY?** WHAT KIND OF STUPID QUESTION IS THAT? OF COURSE IT FUCKING HURTS YOU DUMB ASS!_

"Like a bitch," I grumbled, swallowing my inner opinion.

"I told you not to move from your spot."

I glared at her, nostrils flaring. "They attacked me."

She ignored me. "Can you walk?"

I tossed her another glare. "What do you think?"

"I think you should drink some of my blood. It'll help you heal faster."

I felt myself turn green in the face and shook my head. "I think I'll pass."

"Then I'll have to carry you," she smiled that creepy smile. The one that told me she was going to have her way or no way.

"I'm not biting you," I argued.

"You don't have to," she said.

"Is this like a turn on for you? People drinking your blood?" I snapped.

She batted her eyes jokingly. "Only you turn me on."

"That's settles it!" I forced myself to crawl. "I'm not drinking your blood, you psycho!"

I kept my eyes focused on the ground to avoid her cheeky smile.

"You won't last very long in your state."

I inhaled sharply to calm my nerves and repeatedly told myself that she was old, **_senile_** and a relative. It's a sin to kill your own relative, right?

"By the way, I must say that was ingenious of you…using the pool to melt the snow so it would turn into slush. Ayumi didn't even bother to notice her surroundings before producing her electricity and stupidly electrocuted herself. But how did you know about the pool? Not all hotels have a pool."

"The map listed some hotels with pools," I answered.

"Ah yes! Quite handy, that map is!" she chirped. "I was most impressed though with the stop sign move you did! Hitting her in the face! That was hysterical!"

I stopped moving and a vein popped on my forehead as my left eye twitched. "You…you saw that?"

"Of course I did!"

"Were you watching me fight them the _entire_ time?" I asked.

She had a huge grin on her face. "Of course I did. I wanted to see what you were capable of doing on your own and without your weapon. It turns out, you have a brain."

I stared at her, flabbergasted. "You…you...YOU FUCKING CRAZY LADY!"

I swung my fist at her and yelped as I landed face first into the snow.

_Stupid legs. Stupid, fast vampire. _

"Now, now. Don't be angry just because I did that on purpose."

"I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED YOU IDIOT!" I shouted. "DIDN'T YOU SEE THAT BUS EXPLODE? THOSE PEOPLE DIED FOR NO REASON! YOU COULD HAVE SAVED THEM!"

"No, Serena, they died because _**you **_couldn't save them." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't go using me as your scapegoat. I will not take the blame for your faults. You could have prevented that all by yourself if you had ran in a different direction."

I swallowed shamefully and glared at my feet since I couldn't bring myself to look at her in the eyes. "I'm not ready to face Kaede, am I?"

"Quite the contrary Serena. You're a capable fighter and have potential to become a great vampire hunter…if that's what you want to become," she said, sitting down next to me.

I snorted. "What other choice do I have?"

She glanced at me questioningly. "I must say I'm a bit surprised. You're the first human in our clan to hunt down the Bokyo clan. I thought it was your father's influence since he's a vampire hunter…or he was. Why is it that you believe you must become a vampire hunter?"

I curled my legs to my chest and wrapped my arms around me. I was biting my tongue to keep from complaining about the pain in my legs. I was not going to admit weakness to her again.

"Is it your mother? Has she become a level E?" she asked softly.

"Oh so you know?" I stared at her.

"I left America to hunt down the vampire that killed your brother. Your father tried to join me, but he had the aftermath to take care of. Your mother was alive but barely and you were missing," she answered. "Of course, I was never told you were found so I assumed you were dead too."

"Mom said Damon hid me in the barn."

"Ah yes. Animals hate vampires," she chuckled.

"I don't see how animals could stop a vampire though."

"Oh they can't, but I'm guessing that the animals rioted when the vampires attacked, which caught your father's attention and he chased off the vampires…but that's only a guess," she smirked. "Kaien Cross is a scary man when he's mad."

"I don't call him Dad," I confessed, smiling.

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because he left us," I said, the words tasting fuzzy in my mouth. Like it was a bad excuse. "He went to Japan, leaving Mom and I in America. Apparently he couldn't stand us anymore."

"You and I both know that's not true," Thora said thoughtfully. "I remember the day you were born. He had a fight with the nurses because they wouldn't let him see you."

I glanced at her, surprised. "They wouldn't?"

She nodded. "You were born prematurely due to your mother's injuries. You see, after she had Damon members of the Bokyo clan tried to kill him while he was an infant, fearing he would become a powerful vampire hunter like his father. She took lot of hits for him in order to protect him, thus injuring her abdomen."

Angry tears rolled down my cheeks.

"She was told countless of times that you might not survive, but you were a fighter even in the womb," she beamed. "You get that stubbornness from the Heolstor side of your family. Made your father real proud."

I sniffled and wiped away the tears.

"Will power." She wrapped her arms around me. "You have a lot of will power, and as long as you're determined, not even the Devil himself can stop you."

I laughed softly. "Thanks."

"So…why are you chasing Kaede? Not that I mind. It's fun to have a relative with you when you're on a Bokyo killing spree," she grinned.

"She…and her clan…killed my friends and their families. She was trying to find Mom and she had hoped my friends would give her any information on us," I answered.

"Oh…so this is for revenge?"

I nodded.

She smirked. "Just my cup of tea. You and I are going to get along famously."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh it shows."

"And your Mom? She has become a Level E, eh?"

Another nod.

"Then you're thinking of killing her?"

Yet another nod. "I don't want anyone else to do it."

"Well, I was going to offer my services…" She stopped when she saw my glare. "Okay,_ okay_, I get it."

Silence swept between us and the cold, winter breeze caressed our faces. A couple of crumpled brown leaves blew by us.

"I've been underestimating you, Serena," Thora stated, her eyes studying me. "You're a lot stronger than I give you credit for."

She swiftly stood up. "We have to get going if we ever want to kill Kaede. She probably knows you're coming. She's sent many people after you."

"Did you ever find that vampire?" I asked.

"What vampire?"

"The one that killed Damon."

She laughed. "Oh yes. Bokyo Akira. He was a bomb specialist--my competition since we were both bomb experts."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "I take it you won?"

She grinned. "I literally turned his body inside out. What do you think?"

"I think you're right. I can't fight in this state," I grumbled, changing topic. The pain was becoming unbearable. I wasn't going to be able to hide it from her any longer.

Her eyes perked up. "Oh? So you've finally agreed to drink my blood?"

My stomach twisted. "Just don't act so cheerful about it. You're going to make me sick."

Without any hesitation, Thora bit into her wrist and offered her blood to me. I felt my body convulse the first time I took a sip from her wrist and nearly puked right there, but I forced myself to drink. I gagged a few times but I could feel the difference.

My legs were healing. My vision and hearing became more acute. I felt more energetic.

I pushed her hand away before I could become greedy and wobbled to my feet.

"Feel better?" she smirked.

I nodded, stretching my legs. "Much."

"Good, now let's go."

She began walking away but I remained still to allow my body to adjust. She must have sensed my lack of presence because she turned around and tilted her head playfully.

"Hey! You can come back with one of your boyfriends if you like this place so much, but right now you don't have the time to be a tourist!"

My face heated up. "They're not my boyfriends! What do you take me for? A whore?"

She laughed. "And what's wrong with being a whore? You don't like sex?"

"THORA!"

* * *

The airplane flight went off without a hitch and we landed peacefully in Moscow. I was becoming anxious. Kaede was nearby.

I could smell her scent cover the major capital of Russia. I could almost hear her insane laughter and see her cruel lime green eyes vibrant with blood lust.

"Stop that. You're making me jittery," Thora complained, patting me on the legs. I hadn't been able to stop my legs from bouncing since I sat down.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"You'll be fine, Serena," Thora said with a smile.

At least she wasn't perky. I was beginning to think she was tired because I had drank her blood, but she reassured me numerous of times that she was fine. We didn't have any luggage to grab so we marched out of the airport and as I waited for Thora to hail a cab, someone smacked me on the head. I spun around, ready to punch the person but stopped with my fist in midair and nearly cried.

"Zero?" I said to the person who looked a lot like the prefect.

"Who else, idiot," Zero frowned. "You're ridiculously stupid, you know that? Getting kidnapped like that. Lucky for you she was a relative."

"Don't mind him Serena. He's just upset because you left us with an overemotional vampire," Yagari-sama smiled, waving behind Zero.

"Yagari-sama?" My voice came out like a squeak.

"Are you just going to repeat our names like that, dolt?" Zero chided me.

I almost cried. The last time I saw them was a week ago and even though Thora told me they were alive, a part of me still believed the opposite was possible. After all, I couldn't have been the only one that kept getting attacked by vampires.

I lounged myself at the two vampire hunters, nearly suffocating them in my group bear hug. "I'VE MISSED YOU GUYS SO MUCH!"

"Fontana, you're about to break my ribs," Zero growled.

I let go of them quickly. "Sorry!"

And then I heard music to my ears.

"Fontana Serena…"

I spun to face a blonde vampire and had a hard time believing it was Hanabusa. His eyes were ghost-like. Dull and motionless. He was paler than usual, his face covered with dirt and his cheeks looked like they had sunk in. I could tell he hadn't eaten in a while--his fingers were really bony.

"Hanabusa…" I was cut off when he grabbed my face and crushed my mouth with his lips. I twitched, feeling the rough cracked skin of his lips and heard him whimper.

_Is he crying?_

But just like that, I was released from his grip and found myself staring into very pissed off pools of blue.

"DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME? THE NEXT TIME I THINK YOU'RE DEAD I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!" he screamed.

I weakly nodded, not sure if he was aware that he made no sense.

"Yes, well, now that the reunion is over…can we go?" Thora interrupted.

"YOU!" Hanabusa snapped, narrowing his eyes at her and he hovered above her. He suddenly changed his tone of voice. "Thank you for taking care of her."

She grinned at his politeness. "Not a problem. I don't always meet my relatives while using my bombs."

Hanabusa's left eye twitched and I realized that he wanted to say something else, but he was restraining himself.

"Wait a second, how did you guys know that we were going to be at the airport?" I asked Yagari-sama.

"Darling did you honestly believe that I was just buying tickets?" Thora chuckled. "I called your father to tell him I had you and then he contacted Yagari-sama. The airport was obviously just a meeting point."

Note to future self: Do not trust Thora. She is always brewing up something.

"In any case, I'm glad to see you're okay. We were very worried," Yagari-sama smiled, tilting his head to point at Hanabusa discreetly.

I wrapped an arm around Hanabusa. "Aww, were you that antsy without me Pansy?"

I felt his shoulders relax and he exhaled slowly, using his eyes to tell me dangerous things. "Don't tempt me Serena."

"Oh please do. He might shut up afterwards." Zero got into the cab first.

"Say! Where's Hoshi? Did you guys lose him after the train explosion?" I asked.

The men looked at each other grimly.

"What?" I eyed them. "What happened?"

"He's dead," Yagari-sama answered.

"He died on the train?" I looked at Thora. She probably killed him.

"Yeah, something like that," Hanabusa said.

"My aren't we one big happy family!" Thora changed the topic, clapping her hands together as she laughed. "I get to sit next to Silver!"

"Be my guest," I muttered as she took a seat next to Zero.

Yagari-sama sat next to the right window and Hanabusa forced me to sit in the middle. He didn't want me next to a window just in case someone decided to blow up the car and yank me out.

"Something tells me that if he could, he'd put you on his lap," Thora said, receiving a glare from Zero and Hanabusa.

"Please stop talking Thora." I tried nicely.

"OOH! I have to tell you...Hanabusa, right? I can't remember your name...ANYWAY! Since you're her boyfriend, I'm suggesting that you take her to Kazan City! She really liked the place. She might want to visit it again with you," she grinned and had the nerve to wink at me.

I wanted to shrink into an invisible size.

"Really?" Hanabusa raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll consider it."

I opened my mouth to say she was just kidding but stopped. My face flushed bright red and it was suddenly very hot in the cab.

_He didn't...didn't even object the boyfriend comment._

I became confused. Were we dating now? Is that how a relationship starts? By a stolen kiss? Or by someone who mistakes you for dating simply because you're close friends?

I stared at him despite the fact that I knew I wasn't going to get any answers. We had other things to worry about.

"Oh! OH! Take a left here!" Thora shouted to the driver, causing him to jerk the car. The cab driver shot her a dirty glare.

"Where are you taking us?" Even from the back seat, I could see Zero's glare. "The cathedral is in the opposite direction."

Thora shot him a devious grin. "The old Heolstor mansion is this way. I can't let you prance in the cathedral wearing what you are wearing now!You'd be an easy target!"

"What are you suggesting, you evil woman." I narrowed my eyes at her.

She laughed. "Disguises. I know that this particular mansion is a storage for the Heolstor Clan. I'll find all kinds of clothes and make up."

"Oh by the gods, she means to put make up on us," I whispered and glanced at Yagari-sama to save us all, but hope died when no one objected to her idea. I sighed, realizing I was going to be wearing a skirt soon.

_A skirt. In December. In Russia._

"Can't I just keep what I'm wearing?" I asked but the question fell on deaf ears.

God damn it. Luck was **_still_** not on my side.

* * *

The mansion was ancient. Ancient as in 'they dragged me in cause I'm too chicken shit' kind of ancient. I really didn't want to enter the manor. The place looked like it would cave in any second. The pillars that kept the mansion from collapsing had turned black and the wood was chipping away, almost bending to the will of the fierce wind that blew in Russia. Doors and floorboards creaked on their own, and don't get me started on the ridiculously big windows. I mean what the hell? Did they expect King Kong to come through those or what?

Anyway, before we were dressed, we had to walk through a hallway of Thora's toys. Most of the toys were bombs, booby-trap, smoke screens and God-knows-what.

Hanabusa held a bazooka in his hands with a wicked smile, aiming it right at my forehead. "I wonder if she'll let me borrow a couple of these."

I snorted. "Borrow? You'd most likely try to steal them."

He frowned. "Would not."

"Children, move on. Aidou, put that away before you accidentally set it off," Yagari-sama ordered, getting into business mode.

"Yeah," I mocked. "You could take out this mansion. Bet Thora will kill you if the ruins don't."

"Ha ha," Hanabusa sneered.

I held up an interesting black gun that looked similar to the Blood Rose. Curious, I went through the drawers in search of bullets and froze with my back as stiff as a rock.

"What's wrong?" Zero asked, alarmed that I had stopped so suddenly.

Hanabusa looked over my shoulder and broke into hysterical laughter.

Now having everyone's attention except for Thora, I held up a large sized tube-looking thing. "What the hell is this?"

Zero rolled his eyes and walked on, but I could have sworn I saw the vampire hunter's face flush red. Hanabusa was still rolling on the floor, holding his sides and gasping for air.

Yagari-sama scolded me. "You really shouldn't be going through your aunt's belongings. Some things are meant to remain hidden."

"What's the big deal? It's just a tube thingy. It's probably used to shoot huge canons or something," I argued loud enough for Thora to hear.

Thora turned around and once she saw the tube in my hands, she snatched it from me. "Don't play with this! It's expensive!"

"What the hell is it?" I stubbornly crossed my arms.

"You don't want to know," she answered, returning it to the drawer.

"Yes I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked."

"Good luck," Hanabusa said with sympathy, patting my great aunt on the back. "She's stubborn as hell."

"Everyone else seems to know what it is!" I pouted. "Why can't I know?"

At that precise moment, the men around me walked away shaking their heads, muttering about how curiosity killed the cat.

Well, I wasn't a damn cat. I was a hunter. Sort of. I could take it!

Thora rolled her eyes and heaved a deep sigh. "It's a molder."

"A molder?" Obviously still clueless.

Thora shot me a dangerous dark glare. "Yes, a molder. Tell me you're not that innocent and know what a molder is."

I gave her a blank stare. "Sorry. The question mark still hovers above me."

"Okay…I'll be very blunt then so there's no confusion," she said. "Basically, you stick a man's you-know-what into the tube and the tube molds into their shape. So when I don't have a man around, I can still have fun."

I paled. "You mean…"

"You've been showing off my dildo."

I've been officially scarred for life.

My eyes dropped to the ground and I could feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment. The voice in my head kept repeating EW EW EW EW EW!

"Hey! I'm not ashamed of it! A woman has her needs too, you know! And I happen to be very, very active!" she defended herself, proudly putting both of her hands on her hips to make a greater statement. "I have a great sex life. I maybe old, but I'm not dead. Well, I _am _dead technically but-"

"Too much info! TOO MUCH INFO!" I shouted, clamping my hands over my ears. Not willing to hear anymore of her lecture, I ran to catch up to the guys.

Hanabusa grinned. "You _had_ to know."

"Shut up!" I blushed.

Too bad Thora was quicker on her feet because she was standing next to Hanabusa when I told him to shut up and the next thing she blurted out was, "You know, if you want, I could buy a molder for you and have him shaped. This way when he's not around-"

"PLEASE STOP!" I must have turned purple. "JUST STOP!"

"I think she prefers natural, to be honest." Hanabusa played along with her.

I gave him my darkest death glare that I could manage. If only looks could kill.

Thora laughed, playfully shoving him. "Hey! Isn't he a keeper? He has a sense of humor! That's rare in a vampire."

She winked at me. "And I bet he'll treat you nicely too."

"I hate to interrupt your fun, but I already have enough disturbing images to last me an eternity," Zero butted in. "So could we please change topic?

"Yes! Please!" I yelled and it got real quiet.

Thora flashed me a big grin once Zero turned around and Yagari-sama, who had ignored us completely, started to hand out clothes he found in some random closet.

"I love it when she's flustered," Thora giggled.

"She's an easy target, I know." Hanabusa nodded.

_Good god they're becoming fast friends. This is not good!_

* * *

A couple of hours later I was staring at Hanabusa's hair in shock.

I was so used to his gorgeous blonde locks that the black dye offended me. However, even though black hair on Hanabusa was beyond abnormal, it still looked good on him. Not only was his hair black, it was longer too! It made him appear so feminine that I started to call him 'missy' just to irritate him. He was wearing a thick, furry red hoodie and dark pants. He was the least layered of us due to the fact he had immunity to the cold.

Lucky bastard.

I bet Hanabusa could be dressed up as Barney and still look amazing. It was insanely unfair.

Zero's drastic change made me giggle. I knew he would be Thora's chosen victim due to his sour personality, but I didn't know she would go this far. With the magic of make up, Zero would be easily mistaken as someone who was turning a hundred years old. The numerous wrinkles Thora adored his face with looked absolutely realistic that I nearly fooled myself. She had also given him a cane, much to his discomfort.

As for my transformation, I'll admit I wouldn't have recognized myself. Thora had given me a curly brown hair wig and blue eyed contact, which were ridiculously hard to place. My eyes were sensitive and became irritated easily. As I expected, she forced me to wear a frilly pink skirt and thick black stockings underneath. Needless to say, I was extremely uncomfortable and kept stretching them out so they'd stop sticking to my skin. I was wearing two sweaters and a long sleeved shirt underneath.

Thora grinned at me almost as if she was quietly laughing at me.

"What?" I asked her.

"You remind me of those pink dancing hippos in Fantasia," she said. "You know--the ballerina ones."

I glared at her. "Are you calling me fat, old hag?"

"If the shoe fits," Hanabusa smirked.

"Yes, my shoes do happen to fit up your ass Hanabusa." I smiled sweetly at him. "Did you want me to demonstrate?"

I heard Yagari-sama chuckle. "Behave children."

I was having a hard time controlling my nose. Thora had sprayed something horrible on me, saying it would cover my scent. However, it was making me sneeze and my nose run.

"Can we go outside? I'm starting to feel hot," I complained.

"Patience Serena. We're not done yet." Thora handed me a pair of emerald earrings, stating that they were actually cameras.

Here was the plan: Zero, Hanabusa and I were to casually walk inside the cathedral without drawing attention to us. We were to be as quiet as possible and sneak into the basement of the cathedral where the vampires should be waiting for us. While we're walking about looking for the Bokyo clan, Yagari-sama and Thora would remain on top of the roof. Yagari-sama was going to use the cameras hidden on us to look where we can't, and once the battle began, the bombs that Thora planted while we walked around would be activated.

With any luck, no humans were going to be at church today.

But I knew better.

"You smell like shit." Hanabusa wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah?" I snorted. "You look like shit."

"Is that so?" he scowled.

"Seriously," I said with concern. "Your cheeks are almost nonexistant and you look almost fragile...when was the last time you ate anything?"

He looked aside. "Since you were taken."

"You haven't taken anything at all? Not even one pill? Are you nuts?" I glowered. "We're about to head into battle and you look like you might collapse!"

He smirked arrogantly. "I might be a little weak, but I can still take them on. Watch and learn, Human."

"I wouldn't underestimate her Missy!" Thora laughed, calling him by his new nickname. "She killed a noble vampire an hour before getting on that airplane. And she did it without her weapon too!"

Yagari-sama beamed at me. "Is that true?"

"Yeah, I did," I said proudly.

"But even with that accomplishment, you did have broken legs after that. And lets not forget that bus. A lot of humans died on that bus." Thora shook her head. "All because she ran in the wrong direction."

"You just have to kill the moment, don't you?" I hissed at her.

"Everyone makes mistakes Serena." Yagari-sama patted me on the shoulder. "At least you were smart enough to kill one and I want to hear all about it."

"Why don't you ask her." I pointed at Thora. "She watched me the entire time."

A small smirk appeared on Zero's face, which looked really distorted with the wrinkles. "She said you had broken legs...I can't imagine how you managed to heal so quickly."

I pointed at the culprit once agin. "All her fault. She gave me no choice."

"There's always a choice!" Thora defended herself.

"And what was that? Hmm?" I glared at her. "You told me to drink your blood. Don't deny it!"

"Well yes, the choices were: Die or drink my blood. Simple as that." She gave me the peace sign again.

The vampire hunters laughed. Hanabusa didn't seem to find it equally amusing.

* * *

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior is the tallest eastern Orthodox church in the world, located in Moscow on the Moskva River. It was a massive tall church with blinding white walls, golden cone shaped roofs, and numerous slim windows. The entrances to the church were black and reminded me dungeons—ironically enough. However, it was a beautiful church.

"Seems like Serena is awestruck," Hanabusa teased.

"Another place you want to return to?" Thora winked at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Lay off Thora."

"That's _Aunt _Thora to you," she corrected me, handing the Blood Star to me.

"Right, right," I said, tucking it under one of the many sweaters that I had on.

"Come on," Zero muttered, pushing us along.

Thora clutched tightly onto Zero's forearm and snuggled him. "Aw, you're in such a hurry. Enjoy the scenery loves!"

I stared at Thora in horror, wondering where she had left her brain, and then wondered why Zero hadn't slapped her silly yet. He just kept staring forward, ignoring the female vampire attached to his arm.

To my surprise and delight, no one was around so I assumed that the church would be empty too. Hanabusa entered the church first, scanning the area in case there were traps.

"That's odd. It's a Sunday. You'd think there would be people," Hanabusa frowned.

"Maybe they've been taken as hostages down in the basement?" Thora suggested.

"Always the optimist," Yagari-sama chuckled.

"You've worked with her before?" Zero glanced at his mentor.

Yagari-sama smirked. "Word of advice: She's insane. Talented, but insane."

"That comforts me so much," I replied sarcastically.

Zero and I followed Hanabusa into the church, leaving behind the bomb expert and the vampire hunter. The church had very high ceilings painted with angels and people I probably never heard of. I could find a painting or sculpture of Jesus in every corner of the church, and in the middle were thousands of lit candles and a huge gold cross. The floors were decorated with art and made of marble.

"This must have been expensive to build," I stated, creating an echo.

Zero and Hanabusa fanned out, hands patting the walls to find the entrance to the basement. I walked around aimlessly as I played with my earrings, hoping the cameras would catch something.

"THERE!" Thora's voice squeaked, causing me to jump.

"Aunt Thora?" I looked around but found her nowhere.

"I'm on your sweater!" she said and I looked down. Sure enough, there was a tiny microphone on the collar of my sweater.

"When did you stick this on me?" I grumbled.

"When you weren't looking obviously," Thora giggled. "Now pay attention honey. There's a small wooden door on your left. Do you see it?"

To my left there were rows and rows of candles. "Not really."

"Behind the candles," Yagari-sama joined in the conversation.

I squinted, walking past the candles and smiled when I found a child-sized wooden door behind the candles as promised. I whistled to my partners in crime and they appeared next to me within seconds.

_Fucking speed demons._

"I really hate it when you people do that," I whined.

Zero kicked through the door, taking the lead and Hanabusa grabbed my hand.

"I'm not handicapped Hanabusa," I scowled.

"No. You're just slow," he countered.

The basement was more like a tunnel filled with dozens of child-sized wooden doors. The ground was muddy due to being so close to the river and the air smelled like dirt.

"It's a maze," Zero declared, staring at the doors.

"So how do we know where to go?" I asked. "All the doors look the same."

"When in doubt, follow your nose," Thora said on the mic.

The vampires looked at each other and both of them pointed in different directions.

"Well that's helpful," I muttered.

"Serena, you should be leading the way. Your nose knows Kaede's scent the best and since you drank my blood, your sense of smell should be stronger."

"She has a point." Zero looked at me. "Which way Fontana?"

I blinked. "Well…umm…"

"Close your eyes idiot and concentrate," Hanabusa barked.

I scowled. "Yes sir."

I shut my eyes and breathed in the air, slowly relaxing my body so I could focus on the scents around me. I picked up Kaede's scent immediately. How could I forget the smell of burnt human skin? I was trapped with her during my torture sessions.

I pointed to the door at my left.

"You sure?" Hanabusa asked.

"I'm not a blood hound, but I do believe so."

He took my hand again. "Keep your nose focused on her scent. Most likely there will be more doors."

Zero kicked through the door and we began walking at vampire speed. As instructed, I kept my eyes closed so I could focus on her scent and lifted my hands to point out which direction to go in whenever we ran into a lot of doors.

"STOP!" Thora shouted.

I jumped and collided into Hanabusa's back. He showed no reaction whatsoever.

"Why?" Zero asked the talking microphone. "Do you see something we don't?"

"The camera is showing us that the tunnel you're heading in is filled with acid," Yagari-sama informed us.

"Courtesy of Tolucan, Master of Acid." I imagined Thora rolling her eyes. "If you inhale or touch any of it, you'll die within an hour."

"So what do you suggest?" Hanabusa asked.

"Take a right at this corner. Do not breathe. Do not touch anything until you're at least five feet away from the tunnel you're in now," she told us. "And once you're away from it, follow Tolucan's scent. He wouldn't poison the tunnels he and his clan uses."

I frowned. "But I don't know his scent."

Zero and Hanabusa smirked. "But we do."

* * *

I think an hour passed when Zero abruptly stopped us, holding his right hand in the air.

"What's wrong?" I asked but no noise came out of my mouth.

Well that's odd, and it became even stranger when Zero turned around. He was talking to me but I couldn't hear anything and since Japanese wasn't my first language, reading lips was definitely out of the question. Hanabusa shouted, or at least he looked like he was shouting, and he shoved me to the ground.

I didn't hear the attack but I did see it.

Tolucan appeared out of nowhere, hitting Zero on the skull with his fist. Another vampire dug out of the ground, pulling Hanabusa into the tunnel beneath ours. I recognized the second vampire, remembering his maroon hair during my torture sessions. He was the one who got into my head, making me believe he had raped Mom and I was his child.

A small pale girl with curly purple hair and lime green eyes held a sword that was twice her size to my throat.

"Aren't you a little young to be using that?" I asked. Once again, there was no noise.

"My name is Momi, I am the maker and stealer of sound," she said in perfect English. "And I'm quite old enough to be wielding a sword."

I stared at the twelve year old girl, or at least she looked twelve, and felt uncomfortable. I didn't like the idea of fighting someone who appeared so young.

"Take out your weapon, Heolstor," Momi ordered. "I want a fair battle."

I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well that's new."

She smirked. "Not everyone in my clan has a sense of honor."

I smirked back. "You don't say."

I withdrew the Blood Star from my sweater, releasing the spikes. Momi launched at me with her sword. I sidestepped to avoid her, twirling the Blood Star to block her attempts to chop off my head. For a child, she sure had a lot of power. I was forced to use all of my weight to push her blade off of my Blood Star. I was surprised that I could keep up with her--she was so much faster than me! And just when I think I have her, she performed the splits to evade my head-on attack.

"Damn you're good," I grunted, shielding myself from her blade.

I was going to have to take her by surprise if I wanted to win this, but what did I have to my advantage? If I tried to use the maximum strength of the Blood Star, the tunnels would collapse and we would be buried alive. Well, Yagari-sama and I would be buried alive. I suppose it doesn't matter to the vampires. Momi proved to be a difficult opponent. Not only was she fast, she was also flexible, sneaky, and when she stole noise from the air she was impossible to find. I only managed to hit her a few times, catching her when she made the mistake of getting too close.

I wasn't able to hear or see her sneak up on me, but I could still smell her.

"Back off Momi. She's my prey," a familiar feminine voice demanded.

I looked over my shoulder to see Little Miss Pink herself.

"Serena...long time no see," Kaede greeted me with a snobby voice and laughed when I didn't say anything back. "What's the matter? Have I rendered you speechless?"

Momi glared at Kaede. "She and I have a battle to finish."

Kaede sneered. "Your battle can wait. It's not significant."

"You were right, Momi," I said to the child vampire. "Not many in your clan have a sense of honor."

Momi stared, eager to fight me but she didn't want to quarrel with Kaede. After all, Kaede was obviously her elder and kin.

"Maybe next time?" she questioned me.

"Sure thing." I turned my attention to Miss Pink. "I've been waiting for this day."

"Your date with death?" Kaede was smug.

"Oh please. If I had a date with death, it would be a hot guy." If Hanabusa didn't kill me first.

"You're still a smart ass."

"And you're still a dumb ass."

Her face darkened. "Watch your tongue Fontana or I'll remove it for you."

"You don't scare me bitch." Without warning, I swung the Blood Star at her head. She managed to dodge a little but a couple of the spikes scratched her face. She screeched in outrage and came at me with her claws. I shoved her off me, smashing the Blood Star into her rib cage and twirled it quickly to crush her skull, but she backed away.

She stared at me. "I feel flattered. You trained yourself just to kill me."

I laughed sadistically. "That's where you're wrong. I'm not just going to kill you. That would be too easy. I'm going to fucking tear you limb from limb until you beg me to kill you."

"Ha! We'll see brat."

* * *

_Suntiger_: Special shout out to Frieda, wolfmoon10, me heart aido, and Scarykidscaringkids....just cause I can. And much love to Rosenkreuz Orden. I agree that teenage relationships are complex, but the reason it's taken me so long to write their "romantic" interactions is because it's Serena's first crush. Has anyone been kissed by their crush and then wondered what kind of relationship they were in? If they were in one at all? lol. That's the situation now.

I'll be waiting for ten reviews before I upate again. I've decided to let reviewers decide when I update, so the more reviews I get, the sooner the update. School has started, which might also influence when I update. However, my best friend is also one of my greatest fans and she attends the same university...you can depend on her to kick my ass if I don't update.


	23. You're mine

Chapter twenty-three: You're mine

Kaede blurred past me and yanked my hair so hard that I fell onto the ground. Just as my back hit the ground, I swung the Blood Star and caught Kaede's legs.

CRACK.

_There goes her legs_.

I smirked to myself. I had successfully broken her legs. Kaede shrieked in pain, holding her legs close to her chest as she rolled on the ground.

Her eyes turned a hideous shade of red. "THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS FONTANA!"

_Damn straight it is. You will never lay a hand on my loved ones again._

Anger boiling in my veins, I forgot I was in a tunnel and swung the Blood Star as hard as I could. The spiked ball smashed against her rib cage, creating a massive hole as it went right through her. A loud, inhumane scream filled the air. I dropped the Blood Star just to cover my ears because the scream made my eardrums bleed.

_That's right. Kaede's power lies within her voice._

I waited a few minutes until my ears met by silence. I picked up my weapon and glanced at Momi. She had her hands covering her ears and she was scowling. I assumed Momi couldn't tolerate the scream either and stole the noise from the air. I was about to swing the Blood Star again when I realized that Kaede had disappeared.

Crap. Where did she go?

I scanned the area but found no pink hair bobbling around. I frowned but then I suddenly became aware that someone was standing right behind me. I went completely still, feeling her breath on my earlobe.

"Fontana Serena," she said gently, almost seductively. "You don't want to kill me."

"Oh yes I do," I argued but my body was paralyzed.

She purred in my ears. "No. You don't want to kill me. You adore me. Drop the Blood Star, Serena. You know you don't want to kill me."

"The fuck I don't!" I roared, flinging the Blood Star backwards.

She shrieked when the spiked ball slammed into the back of her shoulder.

"Serena!" she hissed into my ears, digging her claws into my neck. "You don't want to kill me! Drop your weapon!"

My body became stiff and my body was no longer in my control. To my horror, my hand released the Blood Star and I helplessly watched it land onto the ground with a loud thud.

I could sense her smile behind me.

"Now listen to me Serena. I know what you really want to do," she purred. "You want…you want to kill yourself."

I shook my head violently. My body began to tremble as I tried to fight her influence.

She used her hands to force me to nod. "Yes. _Yes,_ you do. You want to kill yourself."

"No I don't," I growled, still unable to move.

"Yes you do. That's why you're just going to fall on top of your Blood Star." She petted my hair. "That's right. You're going to fall on top of your Blood Star. You're going to crush your skull."

My body dropped to its knees on its own. I could do nothing about it. I couldn't scream for help. I couldn't fight against the control she had over my body. I couldn't even push the Blood Star further away from me.

"Now Fontana, smash your head," Kaede ordered, using a soft velvet voice.

Just as I was about to ram my head against my own weapon, someone shoved me and froze my legs in solid ice. I couldn't turn my head to see who it was but I didn't need to. Hanabusa's scent invaded my nostrils and in the corner of my eyes I could see his face. His beautiful, dangerous eyes that stormed with fury and the cruel snarl on his lips…for once, he actually looked like a monster.

A beast with a human disguise.

"Aidou Hanabusa, I daresay, I am ashamed of you," Kaede frowned in disgust. "A vampire of such high standing like yourself…interested in a lowly creature like her. It's not too late to find a more promising mate."

"Bokyo, I don't care about your opinions," he sneered. "I'm only here to give you an excruciating death."

"Oh this is so cute. Fontana's knight in armor," Kaede laughed.

Hanabusa's eyes glowed red. "I am more than just her knight."

Within seconds, the entire tunnel was covered in ice and Kaede was dodging his vicious attacks. He was using ice like spears, cutting her in various places.

To human eyes this looked like a winning battle, so it took me a while to realize that Kaede actually had the upper hand. Hanabusa was moving too slow to hit her vital organs and for some strange reason, Kaede was rapidly healing. Her legs were already running at faster speeds and the hole in her back had already closed up. Either she drank human blood earlier, which would explain her healing rate, or Hanabusa's body was suffering from not eating anything.

My eye twitched in irritation. I knew he should have had something before going into battle! Stupid, stubborn, arrogant asshole was going to get himself killed just because he wanted to prove that he was still superior to me.

I figured that since Kaede's attention was focused on dodging Hanabusa, she must have released me. I heaved myself up and supported myself with the Blood Star. I took a few steps, stumbling over my clumsy feet. Everything felt prickly as if my limbs had fallen asleep. I lifted the Blood Star over my head, which proved to be a very bad idea. I lost my balance and fell face first into the dirt. I grunted, feeling incredibly stupid for being klutzy and scanned the battlefield.

Zero was still fighting Tolucan but I couldn't tell who was winning. They were moving too fast for me to keep up. Momi sat with her sword in between her legs. She was watching me with a blank stare. I was expecting her to tackle me now that Hanabusa was busy with Kaede, but she didn't approach me.

Now that I think about it…there's someone missing. I could have sworn there was another vampire.

"Miss me?" a male voice grated against my ears. A chill went up and down my spine, causing me to shiver. His voice was worse than nails on a chalkboard.

_Speak of the devil and He shall appear._

I quickly got to my feet and spun the Blood Star in front of me. He narrowly missed being hit in the chest.

He laughed at me. "Glad you remembered me."

Heat rose to my cheeks as I felt anger bubble in my chest. "How could I forget? You're the slime ball that twisted my mind into believing I was your child."

"Too bad I haven't really raped your mother. She's always been a true beauty."

My hair started to stick up in dangerous angles. My nostrils flared. "Shut the fuck up."

"I'd like to see you make me," he said, flashing me a perverted grin.

I fumed and swung the Blood Star as hard as I could. He was too fast for me and I ended up destroying the one of the wooden doors. He rematerialized a few inches from my face.

"You'll have to be quicker than that Fontana!" he laughed.

I slammed the Blood Star onto his head and heard his skull crack. A violet, foul smelling blood began to flow from the injury, but he continued to grin at me.

"Your boyfriend is about to end his life," he stated bluntly.

I snorted. I wasn't going to believe him this time. I wasn't going to let him inside my head.

I continued to pound his head in with the Blood Star until he was soaked in his own blood. I watched the blood ooze and gush, swallowing his pale skin. His red eyes bulged out to the point I thought they were going to pop, but he kept his toothy grin.

"What the hell?" I snapped. "The more I hit you, the more you smile! Am I missing something?"

"I am nothing but a distraction sweetheart," he said, playfully gurgling his blood in his mouth.

Just a distraction? Was he telling me the truth?

I looked over my shoulders just to make sure and what do you know? Hanabusa had encased himself in ice. His eyes were glazed over and there were black bags under his eyes. Blood streamed from the cuts on his cheeks. Around his neck were dangerous ice-like knives that begged to plunge themselves into his neck. What had me worried was the sword. Kaede had given him Momi's sword and he had it in front of his chest. And he wasn't fighting back. He looked like he was about to stab himself repeatedly.

The grinning maniac wrapped an arm around me. "And you thought you were her target this entire time, didn't you? Isn't that sweet."

I shot him a nasty glare. "What are you saying?"

"Kaede doesn't want to kill you just yet," he smirked, kissing my ear. "She wants to kill everyone you love first."

Everything in me snapped.

My face turned dark purple as a vein throbbed on my forehead. I tightly gripped the Blood Star until my knuckles were white and my palms were fire engine red. I drove the Blood Star into his chest so viciously that I turned his body into a squashed potato. I was seeing red and the Blood Star was thirsty for blood.

"KAEDE!" I roared just as a bomb went off. I stumbled a little but I did not permit myself to fall.

_God damn Thora's timing._

She turned her head to look at me. Her face went from glowing with success to horror. She took a few steps backwards, inching away from me but kept a firm grip on Hanabusa's shoulders.

She was claiming him as her victim.

_No one is going to be able to put you back together when I'm done with you._

Before I could swing the Blood Star at her, the vampire male emerged from the ground. He grabbed my ankles and I fell on top of his chest. I wiggled out of his grasp and kicked him in the face to force him to let go of my left foot.

_What the hell! Didn't I just bash his head in?_

"You can't have her until he's dead!" he laughed hysterically, oblivious to his broken nose. "That's the rule of the game!"

I gripped the Blood Star.

"TO HELL I CAN'T!" I hammered him in the face.

It felt like a volcano erupted. His body blew up into tiny pieces--a crater forming where he had once been. The tunnel shook violently and parts of it caved in. My hands started to throb in agony from the sheer force of the blow.

"FONTANA! CAREFUL WITH THAT BLOOD STAR!" ZERO warned me. "YOU'LL KILL US!"

But I was too far gone. The only thing on my mind was Kaede's death.

_This is for Erica and her family. This is for Jade and his family. This is for my family—my brother, mother and father. This is for Hanabusa. This is to ensure she will never harm anyone I cherished ever again._

_This is my revenge. Her death is my freedom._

_Your fat ass is mine, bitch._

I sprinted and brought the Blood Star down with a loud **_thud_** two inches from her feet. The ground disintegrated, forcing the ice to break. Using my free arm, I possessively yanked Hanabusa away from her and shot her a menacing glare. Kaede hurled herself at me, attempting to latch onto Hanabusa again, but I threw him aside before she could harm him.

She laughed wickedly, digging her nails into my shoulders. "It's just you and me again."

I smirked. "Actually. It's just me."

I head butted her, throwing both of us off balance but I recovered faster. I gathered all of my strength and rage and nailed her forehead with the Blood Star.

There was a thunderous _BOOM_. Everything began to melt away and the only thing I remember before blacking out is the sound of her hysteria ringing in my ears.

* * *

_Where am I?_

"About time you heard me," Damon smirked, his face inches from my own.

I groaned. "What do you want…can't you see I'm tired?"

"You've been unconscious for a bit," he said. "In fact, you still are. This is the first time I've been able to reach you. Your mind has been fuzzy since then."

I shot up in bed. Wait a second here, a bed?

I looked around to take in my surroundings. I was alone in a polished white room surrounded by huge pink flowers of various species. There was a empty blue plastic chair next to the bed, my Blood Star on the cracked wooden table next to the chair, and the door to the room was left slightly ajar. The window blinded me with sunlight, causing me to jerk uncomfortably. I was in a king sized bed, draped in purple fluffy nightwear. The sheets were soft and white and warm. I would have figured that I was in a some sort of hospital, but because of the size of the bed and the clothes that I was wearing, I decided that I was definitely in someone else's house.

"Is this place important?" I asked, recalling that the places in my dreams were always of some value.

Damon was floating above the bed. He was grinning with wide innocent eyes. "I guess."

Well that doesn't help me at all.

"Is this my death bed or something?" I rolled my eyes, sarcasm leaking heavily.

He was equally sarcastic. "Actually, this is your wedding bed."

"Ha ha, very funny." I glared. "What happened?"

"You did the stupid thing and blew everything up," he answered bluntly.

I blinked. "Did what?"

He chuckled. "You'll see. The future is getting brighter and brighter."

* * *

I woke up feeling really groggy. My limbs ached and were covered in countless bruises. I was pretty sure my hair was all over the place. My throat kept clogging up so I had to cough constantly just so I could swallow. Strangely, I was in the same white room that I was in my dream. The sunlight was still glaring at me and the flowers were overwhelming me with their scent. Luckily, I wasn't still in the purple nightgown that I was wearing in my dreams. I was wearing the clothes that I went into battle with, but they were bit shredded here and there.

"I could kill you," a male voice said loudly to my right.

I jumped, surprised to see someone in the room with me when I previously thought I was alone. Fortunately, it was just Zero. Unfortunately, he wasn't kidding about the killing part. I would have asked him why he was so pissed off, but I was too busy studying his appearance.

Zero was covered head to toe in black soot. His clothes were nearly torn to shreds, practically exposing his stomach and legs. His sleeves were missing completely and his tie was gone. His feet were bare, revealing cute slender feet. I had a strange urge to paint his toe nails.

Imagine that. Zero with painted toe nails.

_Okay, so I'm attracted to feet. Sue me._

I arched an eyebrow at him.

"I told you, you idiot," he snapped. "The Blood Star feeds on your emotions. The angrier you are, the stronger it strikes. You were taught to control yourself for that very purpose."

_Uh oh._

He continued, becoming more irritated. "You blew up the whole church and nearly killed us all. Hanabusa and sensei are currently comatose. You blacked out for three days because the Blood Star zapped you of all your energy. If Thora hadn't forced her way through the rubble to get to us, we'd be buried alive right now."

I tried to get off the bed, wanting to see them for myself, but Zero shoved me back onto the bed.

"You're too weak to move. I'm not carrying you to them."

I puffed my cheeks in protest. "But!"

"GOOD AFTERNOON!" Thora shouted, bursting through the doors. I cringed at her voice and Zero caught me flinching.

He smirked deviously. "You'll be sensitive to noise and light for a while. You have yourself to thank."

"Oh don't be so harsh on her, Silver," Thora hushed him. "After all, she did succeed."

"Really?" I croaked. The back of my throat felt scratchy.

"Yes, Serena, Kaede is dead. You made that quite certain," she laughed when she noticed my grin. "But you also nearly killed your comrades."

She shook her head. "And I thought the bus was bad. Do you always run in the wrong direction?"

I gave her a puzzled look. I hadn't been running in the wrong direction. In fact, I hadn't been running at all. I only flung the Blood Star at Kaede's forehead and hit her right on the mark. I couldn't help but smirk to myself. And then I remembered Hanabusa and Yagari-sama.

Oh _fuck._

I forced myself to get up and struggled against Zero's forceful arms.

"Aww, that's so cute! She really wants to see them!" Thora giggled.

I shot her a glare, signaling I wasn't in the mood for her giddiness. However, nothing ever seems to phase that freak. She just keeps smiling.

Realization hit me. The light bulb suddenly went off in my head and gave birth to a new theory: Vampires who don't sleep during the day suffer brain damage. It would explain Takuma's politeness, Zero's lack of social skills, and Thora…_being Thora_.

"If you don't want to take her, I will!" she announced and easily scooped me into her arms.

She had me upside down on her shoulder, giving me a good view of her rear as she skipped down the hall. I was starting to feel very ill, but it was then I realized we were back at the old mansion. Thora must have dragged all of our unconscious bodies. She plopped me into one of the comfortable lazy-boy chairs and pushed the chair closer to Hanabusa's bed.

She winked at me. "I figured you'd want to see him first."

I gave her a brief nod and mouthed 'thank you'. I waited for her to leave, however, Thora just stood there with a blank look on her face. I poked her with my finger.

She gave me a grin. "Does Zero know a lot about vampires?"

I shrugged. I mean how the hell was I supposed to know? Zero barely spoke about himself. But then again, why would she want to know?

I gave her a suspicious glare.

"Oh no," she giggled. "I'm not telling you yet."

That can't be good.

She skipped out of the room, silently closing the door behind her. I groaned, rolling my eyes upward to the ceiling and hoped God was listening.

_Are You mad at me? Is that why You've cursed me? I swear on everything holy that I'll try to be a better person. So please, PLEASE, stop her if she does something insane._

I turned my attention onto Hanabusa and frowned at what was before me. He looked even worse than before we went into battle. There were dark purple circles under his eyes and his cheek bones were beginning to stick out. His muscles seemed to have disappeared—his skin only loosely clung to his bones. He looked like he could star in some zombie movie!

Damn your fucking pride, Hanabusa! I knew you should have eaten something before going into battle!

I heard something click and looked up to find Zero closing the door. I sighed in frustration and my eyes went up to the ceiling again.

_I knew it! I KNEW IT! You DO hate me!_

"Go on," Zero said. "Pretend I'm not here."

I was about to shoot him a glare when I realized he was actually talking to himself and caught a few of his mumbles.

"…damn…perverted…FUCK!" His head gently banged on the door. He noticed me staring. "Stop looking at me like that."

I gave him my middle finger. It was my 'Fuck you too bro.'

He growled. "You need to keep your Aunt in control."

Just as I was about to open my mouth, I heard a loud girly shriek.

_God I need to get a set of earplugs. _

"OH SILVER! WHERE DID YOU GO SWEETHEART?"

I started opening drawers, praying that I could find earplugs. I mean there have to be earplugs somewhere—this mansion was a storehouse! And my poor ears couldn't take it anymore!

Thora flashed a huge grin at the male prefect. "Snookums, why did you shoot at me?"

I stared at the two and Zero gave me a pleading look.

"You have got to be kidding," I groaned.

Thora hooked her arm around Zero's neck. "He's my sweetie pie."

"Get off," he grunted.

I sighed, predicting a restraining order in the future. "Zero, you _have _got to aim higher."

He grumbled. "I'll try to remember that the next time she sticks her hands down my pants."

_Head meet table. Hi table! Please hit me hard enough to erase my memory. I have a lot of bad images._

"So how's your snookums?" she grinned. "And glad to hear your voice is improving."

Zero took the opportunity to slither out from Thora's grasp and hurriedly escaped out of the room as Thora fixed her attention onto me.

I dug my nails into my palms as I narrowed my eyes dangerously at the nutcase. "He is not my snookums. As for how he's doing, what do you think?"

She was still grinning. "I love it when you're feisty. Hey! Do you think Zero'll drop his pants for me?"

Another mental head slam.

"Didn't Zero just shoot you?" I asked, even though I'm pretty sure I didn't hear a gun go off.

"Yes, but he missed."

"So what? That's still technically a rejection. Can't you molest Yagari-sama?" I suggested.

She scowled, her face gaining creepy wrinkles. " What? You don't think I'm good enough for Zero?"

I scooted my chair a little. "I was thinking more along the lines of not young enough, actually."

She let out a thunderous laugh. "Aw! I love your sense of humor!"

She strode out of the room, calling for her silver haired vampire. I sunk deeper into the chair and sighed. Man, I really need earplugs. I looked down at Hanabusa's face and could have sworn there was a smirk. Either the bastard was dreaming good dreams or he was pretending to be unconscious.

"Hey," someone whispered. "Is she gone?"

I lazily moved my head to the side and noticed Yagari-sama. Though I was glad to see him well, I couldn't help but give him a puzzled look. "I thought you were unconscious?"

"Yeah, I faked it to get rid of her," he said, scanning the area for a certain vampire in heat.

_How the hell do you fake a coma? Maybe it's a vampire hunter trick. Something I should definitely learn._

I laughed. "So she _has_ gone after you?"

Yagari-sama sighed heavily, closing the door as quietly as possible. "_Yes_."

"And what happened?" I asked curiously.

"I shot her in the ass."

I laughed so hard I fell off my chair. Yagari-sama cocked an eyebrow at me.

"It's not that funny," he frowned. "I've actually been forming this theory of how your family line continued."

"This oughtta be good," I smirked, folding my arms over my chest. "Continue."

"The men were raped," he stated bluntly.

Zero appeared out of nowhere. "You may be onto something."

"Zero?" I blinked and looked at the door, which was still closed. "When did you...Oh forget it."

"Still hiding?" Yagari-sama asked, smiling.

Zero glared at him, eyes becoming thin slits. I giggled at him.

Yagari-sama chuckled. "She really doesn't take no for an answer."

* * *

"I'm so bored," Thora whined, sitting across from me.

"Go play in traffic," Zero replied.

Thora pouted. "Darling, I said I was bored..not suicidal."

"Don't call me that."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. We were at the kitchen table, eating food that Yagari-sama cooked since Zero accused Thora of slipping some strange liquid into whatever she made. I was partly amused. I mean how often do I get to see Zero all frustrated and sexually harassed? On the other hand, I pitied him a great deal. Thora never gives up. I've lost count of how many times she pinched his ass and tried to sneak her hands into his pants.

Zero always looked emo until she pinched his ass. Then it was hell on Earth. Guns went off, Yagari-sama would roll his eyes and beg God to spare him and kill him there, and numerous explosions would shake the mansion. However when Thora wasn't molesting Zero, she would hold him. I didn't mind that so much. Zero reminded me of a lost child in Thora's embrace, and sometimes he would relax into the hug.

"I'm going to check on Hanabusa," I announced to the group, but Thora wasn't listening and Zero was ignoring everyone.

"Escape while you can," Yagari-sama mouthed to me.

I didn't need to be told twice. I was gone before anyone could object. I took two steps at a time, rushing up the stairs. The further I got away from the love-bird psychos the better. I heard the phone ring and didn't bother to answer. I figured that Yagari-sama would want an excuse to run away from them. I entered Hanabusa's room and was taken by surprise to find him awake, sitting up and blankly staring at the television.

He heard me enter and glanced my way, but said nothing.

"You're awake," I said.

_Smooth Serena. Real smooth._

A smile smirk played on his face and he said slowly, "Thank you... for stating the obvious."

His voice was rough and cracked at the end. I barely heard him speak. I pulled one of the plastic chairs closer to the bed and placed my hands on his cheeks, pushing away his bangs.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Like... shit."

Truthfully, he looked like shit. His appearance had only changed for the worse as the days went by. Rest didn't even restore his body. I bit into my bottom lip thoughtfully as my fingers nervously tapped on his cheeks. I wanted to help him but I wasn't sure he was going to let me.

He noticed it but didn't ask me. "So...what happened? Is everyone all right? Did...we win?"

"Uh? Oh! Yeah...everyone is okay. You're actually the last person to wake up," I answered. "And yeah, we did win. Kaede is dead."

"And the other members of the Bokyo clan?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Thora hasn't said anything about them."

He took a deep breath. "That means they're still alive."

"I guess."

"Serena, stop that. You're making me edgy," he referred to my fingers.

"Sorry," I immediately apologized and removed my hands on his face.

Silence and tension flirted with each other in the air. It made me feel so awkward. I've never felt ridiculious or vulnerable around Hanabusa before, so what was different? Was it because he was weak and at the mercy of my hands? No, that would have made me overbearing and protective of him. Was it because I actually had to save his butt? But that would have made me feel proud. Was it because...of what I wanted?

He closed his eyes tiredly, his head drooping slightly. "Something's...on your mind."

I laughed nervously. "Well, yeah, you see...I have this crazy idea...you may or may not like it."

He stared at me. I could tell he wanted to laugh at me. "Try me."

"Well... seeing that you're in weak condition and I know for a fact that you've been literally starving yourself since my accidental kidnapping..."

"Just spit it out Serena. I'm too tired to play guessing games," he demanded. He looked like he was about to pass out.

I thrusted my arm in front of me, putting my wrist close to his mouth. "Drink from me."

He blinked, taking a couple of minutes to react. "What?"

"You're weak right now and you're starving and I want you to drink from me," I said, more forceful about it this time.

He shook his head but I cut him off before he could reject me completely. "Look here, dumbass, if you had eaten before the battle you wouldn't be in such bad shape right now. And I wouldn't have had to save your ass from Kaede. Besides, I've had your blood before. I'm just returning the favor."

"You don't understand Serena. There are risks to me drinking your blood," he sighed.

"Such as?"

"Like I don't know if I'd be able to stop myself from draining you," he answered.

I frowned. "You're not talking to someone who's completely weak, ya know."

He groaned. "Serena...you really don't have any idea..."

"Hanabusa, just drink damn it," I growled. "You're not in any position to decline 'cause if you say no, I'll beat the shit out of you, which won't take much I promise, and force you to drink."

He glared at me, his left eye twitching in irritation. "Why do you have to be so god damn stubborn?"

"Because you're an arrogant idiot."

"It won't tickle."

"I won't laugh at your pathetic fangs, I promise," I spat back.

We sat in silence. Hanabusa shifted uncomfortably in the bed, causing me to reach out to him with my free hand. My hand softly toyed with his blonde locks.

Hanabusa's fangs slowly extended and his eyes were red. "You're absolutely sure about this?"

I nodded, relaxing my muscles. He gently took my wrist and sniffed my skin, which was really odd to watch. I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly, waiting for him to puncture my skin. Seconds passed. I peeked through one of my eyes and noticed him staring at me.

"What?" I asked impatiently.

He kissed my wrist, instantly sending shivers up my spine. His cold tongue softly licked the area he wanted to bite into and I could feel heat burn my cheeks. I watched him sink his teeth into my wrist and flinched at the pain. It hurt a lot more than I thought it would. I took another deep breath, forcing myself not to freak out. I knew I could handle this. After all, how many times have vampires drank from my neck without my permission?

Hanabusa's eyes looked up to me, silently asking me to continue and I nodded. The whole thing was weird. I could feel the pull from his mouth and hear him slurp. The pain went away, replaced by a false impression of safety. Vampires must use it to force their prey to believe that they were in good hands and allow themselves to be drained.

However, I really was in safe hands. I knew Hanabusa wouldn't drain me. I witnessed Hanabusa's body turning into the familiar figure I was used to and color began to return to his face. The dark circles under his eyes were slowly disappearing.

"Hanabusa, hate to stop you, but I think you're good to go," I told him, suddenly feeling dizzy.

I heard him gasp sharply and he immediately released me. He backed away from me, wiped his mouth and licked the rest of my blood off his hand.

"Damn," he muttered.

I shot him a curious look. "What?"

"You're delicious," he smirked.

"...I'll take that as a compliment?"

I was hit with a sudden wave of exhaustion, causing me to slip off the plastic chair and land on the floor. Neither of us moved at first, taking a few minutes to register what happened.

"Serena?" he called out to me. I yawned in reply. "Are you okay Serena?"

I was about to answer, but he grew impatient and leaned over the bed to find me.

He frowned at me. "I told you! I told you that I'd drain you!"

"Oh shut up Hanabusa--you didn't even drain me! I'm just sleepy now!" I snapped.

He used his new strength to lift me off the ground and place me onto the bed. "Well then we can nap together."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Nap? Together? In the same bed?"

"Give me break. It's not like we haven't been in the same bed before," he grinned.

A light bulb flashed in my head. "Oh yeah! From when you invited yourself to sleep in my room because apparently the sun bothered you in your room."

"Yeah," he laughed. "That was a total lie."

"Say what?" I gasped in disbelief.

"I lied. The sun doesn't go into my room at all," he grinned.

"Then what the hell?"

"Damn girl can't you put the pieces together? I just wanted to sleep next to you!"

My face flushed violet. "YOU PERVERT!"

He laughed loudly. "You enjoyed it."

I groaned, too tired to argue with him. "You know what? Just shut up. I don't feel like discussing it now."

"Of course you don't," he smirked.

"If you don't shut up soon I'm shoving the Blood Star up your ass," I threatened.

"Oooooh! Kinky!" he whispered seductively into my left ear.

"DAMN IT HANABUSA! I WANT TO SLEEP!"

"Okay, okay. Don't get your thongs in a bunch," he chuckled.

My nostrils flared. "I don't wear thongs!"

He smirked devilishly. "I know. I went through your clothes while you slept. You wear a lot of boy-shorts, but that's okay. They're still sexy."

I smashed his face with a pillow. "YOU ASS!"

Thora stuck her head into the room wearing a hopeful grin on her face. "Am I interrupting?"

"Do you think the Kuran would buy it if I told him Hanabusa died?" I snarled, stuffing his face with my pillow. "I might just kill him myself."

"Well, considering that you almost did..." Thora trailed off.

_Oh. Right._

"Glad to see that you're healthy Missy," Thora said to Hanabusa once he removed the pillow. "Well, for the time being anyway."

"What's the news?" I asked her impatiently. I wanted to get her out of the room as soon as possible.

"Oh! Right! That's why I came in," she said. "I have news from your father."

That caught my attention. "And?"

"Apparently someone died while you were away...Kiren something," she told me.

Hysteria grabbed me by the throat and I shot up in bed."WHAT? HOW? WHO? WHEN?"

"And where," she said. "Don't forget where."

"Now isn't the time to joke around you idiot!" I snapped.

"Serena! Serena calm down," Yagari-sama sighed as he joined us, coming up behind Thora. "Kiren's alive."

My heart stopped throbbing painfully in my chest.

"Then what happened?" Hanabusa questioned the two.

"Her Mom passed away. Apparently she was battling cancer," Yagari-sama replied somberly. "And the funeral is on January the third."

"Oh that sucks. That's in four days," Thora frowned. "You humans are quick to bury the dead!"

_Or they knew ahead of time and planned it all out._

I inhaled slowly, a new aching spreading into my veins. I felt guilt creep into my heart. I hadn't been there for Kiren. I won the prize of the worst best friend ever.

"The Chairman wanted to know if you wanted to continue your fight here and look for the remaining Bokyo clan, or if you wanted to return to Japan," Yagari-sama asked me. "It's your call."

They all stared at me, waiting.

"Well that's a dumb question," I sneered. "Of course I'm going back."

I had my whole life to hunt down the rest of the Bokyo clan, but Kiren needed me now.

"Okay, we'll make arrangements to leave tomorrow morning." Yagari-sama left the room but Thora remained.

"Sooo...." she began, winking at Hanabusa. "Did you..."

"Oh for crying out loud woman, my best friend's mom just died!" I snapped, hurling a pillow at her.

"Right, right...see you!" Thora hurriedly left the room, slamming it shut. My nostrils continued to flare. I felt the urge to get out of bed and chase her down. I wanted to strangle her.

"GOD THAT WOMAN HAS NO MORALS!" I shouted.

"Serena..." Hanabusa patted me on the back.

"WHAT?" I snapped.

"You should sleep."

"How can I sleep? Did you not hear what they said?"

He rubbed my shoulders. "I did but getting upset about it now won't do you any good. You need to rest. You're overemotional right now due to loss of blood."

"Overemotional? _OVEREMOTIONAL?_ How can you say that!"

He glared at me to make it obvious.

"FINE!" I threw my arms into the air, yanked the sheets around me and curled on my side. I heard Hanabusa sigh, and he buried himself into the sheets.

He turned the switch on the lamp, causing the room to be swallowed in darkness. The only light came from the digital clock in front of me. I didn't even realize it was almost four in the morning. And just like that, my mind began to feel fuzzy. I felt confused, tired, scared, angry, and depressed. Tears began to slide down.

"Fuckin' A," I sniffled, wiping the tears but they kept coming.

_Kiren, I'm so sorry._

I felt two strong arms wrap around me--one went across my stomach and the other dug itself under my neck. Hanabusa pulled me into a protective embrace, his scent overwhelming me.

"It'll be all right, Serena. Just sleep for now," he whispered into my ear.

I remember my muscles slowly relaxing; my body snuggling closer to him. His scent forced my breathing to gradually become calmer.

"Hanabusa..." I whispered.

"Hmmm?" He had rested his head on mine.

"Nothing," I said, comforted by his voice. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

All rightie! Another chapter done (And this is my sad attempt at romance)! I meant to update two weeks ago but then my computer decided to be a pain in the ass, so I just got it fixed! Anywho, I thank everyone who reviewed, and no, I don't need reviews to know how good my fic is (not to sound cocky). I want reviews because I want people to point out my mistakes because there are always mistakes and most of the time I don't catch them.

Happy birthday Serena (her bday is September 17), which is another reason why I waited to update. I wanted to do it on her bday but it's 3 AM so I'm late. As far as Zero and Thora go, I'm not sure I want to make them a "couple". I'm just tired of how Yuuki treats her men. She can't have both--that is not okay lol. But at the same time, I don't know if I like Zero and Thora as a couple. I just like to poke fun at Zero.

Anyway, same deal. Ten reviews, faster update. Love you guys! GOOD NIGHT...err morning. Please let me know what I need to fix. Thanks!


	24. Brain Malfunction

Chapter twenty-four: Brain Malfunction

Someone was standing right behind me, breathing their foul-scented breath into my ears. They had me by the shoulders, rubbing them in circular motions to keep me under their control. I was powerless. I was without the Blood Star. It was cold but at the same time it was warm. The wind blew against me so strongly that it sucked the air right out of me, leaving me gasping. The warmth came from a sticky, gooey substance that was moving down my arms like molasses.

It wasn't dark. I could see in front of me due to the light of the moon. I just wished I couldn't see.

In front of me laid the bodies of Zero, Yagari-sama, and Jade. Zero's head was tilted on its side but I could see the vacant glint in his eyes. Yagari-sama had been dismembered--his head was missing. Jade had been drained of his blood, his eyes removed from their sockets.

Kaede's corpse, missing her legs, had Hanabusa by his throat. He looked like he was in a trance. His blue eyes were cloudy and his body slinked before her. She winked at me before she sunk her teeth into his throat, licking the wound as his blood seeped out.

I struggled against my captor but I couldn't break their grip on me. I screamed yet no sound came out. And then my mother stepped out from the shadows of the trees. Her eyes were red and fangs dug into her bottom lip. She grinned, yanking someone by their black hair and she forced them to face me. I found myself staring at bewildered emerald eyes that belonged to Kiren. She stared at me in shock and then flashed me a pleading look.

"Serena-chan!" She shrieked, stretching her hands for me. "Serena-chan! _SERENA_! HELP! PLEASE HELP ME!"

I fought harder against the arms that restrained me but their fingers began to slice into me. I screamed helplessly, even though I couldn't make any sounds, and kicked my legs out. However, the more I fought, the more I was moved away from her.

At this point, with the distance between us, Kiren was about the size of a child. She was still reaching out for me.

And she was still shrieking uncontrollably, sounding akin to a dying animal.

I was too weak to save her.

_Your prey has escaped, young huntressss....find him, kill him...._

_He's a threat to your existence....trap him in a hole...._

I shivered at the ghoulish voice.

_Torture his soul until he cannot take anymore...._

"Serena! SERENA!" Yagari-sama hissed into my ears. "Wake up!"

I jumped, startled at the sudden skin contact and nearly slapped him in my defense. Yagari-sama's reflexes were quicker, grabbing my hands before I could strike. He shot me a concerned look before I dropped my frightened stare and inhaled deeply to calm down. My face lost its fearful expression, masking it with indifference.

"What's going on?" Hanabusa moaned. His head had been resting on my lap but he was jolted awake when Yagari-sama startled me. He blinked a couple of times, stared at Yagari-sama, and then stared at me. Not finding anything of interest, he dropped his head back onto my lap and began snoring softly.

I wish I could fall asleep that quickly.

"Miss, please buckle your seatbelt," a woman's gentle voice interrupted us.

I groaned, cracked my neck and sat up to buckle my seatbelt. I eyed the flight attendant. She was short with a small, fragile build. A bubbly brunette with tiny, asian eyes that were inviting. Pale in color but she was wearing red lipstick. I really wanted to wipe it off of her. It made her look...cheesy. I gave her an A for personality. She was nicer than my past flight attendants.

I smiled a fake smile. "Done."

"Could you wake your friend and tell him to put on his seatbelt too? The plane is about to land," she said.

"Yeah, no problem."

She thanked me politely and walked away. I sighed and peered down at Hanabusa. I couldn't help but stare at him. I gently caressed his cheek and pushed away his bangs to get a better view of his face. His face was softer in his sleep. The lines of his face smoothed out, making him appear childish.

_He was safe. Kaede was dead. He was safe._

I shook the slumbering blonde by his shoulder, who only snuggled closer to my stomach.

"Hey you, the airplane is landing so you need to put your seatbelt on," I murmured.

Hanabusa snorted, whacking away my pestering hand.

I scowled and glanced at Zero. "Hey, wake up sleeping beauty. I don't have enough energy."

Zero wasn't as nice as I was. He grabbed Hanabusa by the collar and smacked his forehead against the seat in front of him.

Hanabusa yelped. "What the hell!"

Zero grumbled impatiently. "Plane is landing."

I frowned when I noticed a drool spot on my jeans. "Hanabusa, people are going to think I peed my pants because of you."

He blinked a couple of times, and then smirked when he noticed the wet circle. "Or, you know, they could think that I was performing-"

"One more word Hanabusa and I'm ripping that tongue out," Zero growled.

I stretched, keeping my peace. The patience of the group had grown thin. Everyone was tired, irritated. I was beginning to miss my crazy aunt. Thora decided she was going to remain in Russia to hunt the Bokyo clan in my absence. A part of me was relieved, but the other part was disappointed. I really wanted to see how she interacted with the Night Class vampires.

I sighed and my breath created a frosty cloud on the window. I began drawing frowning faces in it. I was becoming annoyed with the silence. I needed someone or something to distract me and usually fighting kept me distracted, but nobody would argue with me. The boys would just stare at me in concern or nod their heads whenever I said something.

I hated how they stared at me. It was like they were looking right through me and knew how miserable I truly felt. Hanabusa was the worst. His stare, with those alluring blue hues of his, made me feel fragile. I wanted to yell at him—tell him I wasn't weak. I wasn't going to shatter into pieces. I wasn't made of transparent glass.

He did not- _could not_- know how I feel.

Yagari-sama's presence became serious and business-like, an attitude he normally saved for battle. Talking to him made me feel like I was being interviewed for a new job. I had to be ultra serious or he'd look at me funny and ask me if I was okay—as if I was using humor to cover up my pain. Zero's face had become stoic again and his eyes appeared lost. I don't mean the lost as in he had no idea of where he was going, but as in 'the sad, lost puppy' kind of lost. I wanted to pinch his cheeks and force him to smile, which was ironic enough.

At least they've stopped asking me if I was all right. The question was driving me nuts. I kept having to repeat myself.

I was fine. I was okay with Kaede's death. I was okay with killing her--it was what I wanted. So...I was okay with that memory.

Right?

I didn't regret blowing up the cathedral. Maybe I was just nervous because she was the first noble vampire that I killed. Or maybe it's because everything is piling up.

Jade's revival, Mom's slow transformation, Thora's appearance, Kaede's death, and Mrs. Darako's death....

Everything just seemed to keep going. I kept wondering when life would give me a break--IF it would give me a break.

The plane landed roughly onto the ground. I looked out the window to see snow falling and tractors clearing out pathways.

"Put this on or you'll freeze," Hanabusa muttered. His voice was deep because of the nap. He frowned when he noticed I hadn't grabbed hold of the puffy brown coat he'd given me. "Come on, Serena."

I sighed and took it from him. I bundled myself into the coat, shoved a hat on and waited for the people to get off the plane. There weren't that many people and most of them were old, which would explain why the ride had been so peaceful. I don't remember getting our bags. I don't even remember getting into a taxi. Everything was hazy.

Maybe because I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around me, which in any other case would have gotten me killed. However, I figured that the boys would have my back, so I allowed my brain to switch off and walked on autopilot. And then, much to my dismay, it started to hail.

"Oh for fuck's sake," I grumbled.

Hanabusa eyed me curiously—his eyebrow curving slightly upward to question me.

"This is going to be a long day," Yagari-sama sighed.

* * *

Getting to the academy was ridiculously hard. It stopped hailing but then it began to pour, causing some streets to be icy. Other roads were so flooded that we had to take different routes. People crossed the street without even making sure there wasn't a car heading their way, causing Yagari-sama to slam on the brakes a couple of times. Several of the traffic lights stopped working so the police were out guiding traffic.

"Long day," Yagari-sama repeated under his breath.

"I can drive if you're tired," Zero offered quietly.

"I'm fine," Yagari-sama replied.

Hanabusa was snoring softly, his head on his arm, leaning against the window. I was staring outside the window, watching people with their umbrellas. The sun was hidden behind thick, brooding clouds and the rain came down so hard that they looked like tiny bullets. The wind was strong enough to turn some of the umbrellas inside out, forcing them to run for shelter.

"Finally," Yagari-sama muttered, pulling into the school. "That only took…what? Three hours? Ugh. A forty-five minute drive turned into three hours. What a day."

To my surprise, Kiren was standing at the gate. She was carrying a purple umbrella and wearing red rainboots--the rainboots are what made me notice her. Her face showed indifference, but her eyes were cloudy. Behind her, Chairman Cross had his arms crossed over his chest, patiently waiting for us. I couldn't read his face, but he seemed calm. He probably wanted to ask me questions about the trip--that was going to have to be put on hold. I had other things to take care of.

"Stop here," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt.

"I could just pick her up and drive you back to the school," Yagari-sama said.

"If she had wanted to see me at the school, she would have waited with the Chairman," I told him. "She obviously wants to see me alone."

Yagari-sama pulled over and waited for me to get out.

Zero handed me an umbrella, which I rejected. "No use. The wind will just break it."

I shut the door and they drove off, leaving me with Kiren.

It was cold enough outside that I could the puffs of air escaping from her mouth as she sighed quietly. Winter had made her cheeks turn bright red and her fingers were slightly blue from being exposed for too long. She sniffed a few times and pinched the bridge of her nose.

I frowned. "You should have worn gloves."

She bit her lip and clenched her fists. I thought I heard her whimper.

Tears really do change a person's eye color. I would have smiled at Kiren, whose eyes had become alluring emerald orbs, but that might have been cruel. I quickly rushed to her side, hugged her tightly, and felt her shoulders shake with a sob.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into her ears.

I petted her hair as she grieved for her loss, feeling her tremble violently. Hearing her wails moved me to tears. Even though I have yet to lose my mother…it was only a matter of time. Just like Kiren's mother's death was only a matter of time.

This was a pain we could share. A pain we both understood. A pain we both had to face.

And I was going to be here as long as she needed me.

* * *

The funeral was quiet. Only close friends and relatives attended. The ground was wet earlier but the mud had become solid. It was actually beginning to snow. The wind was strong and bitterly cold, going through my winter clothes. I barely noticed the people around me—the only one I kept my eyes on was Kiren. Not that it was hard to keep track of her. She kept to my side, never releasing my hand.

Chairman Cross was standing next to a sobbing Mr. Darako, patting him on the back. It wasn't until Mr. Darako pulled away from the Chairman and took his daughter's hands that I let her go.

I watched the father and daughter grieve together, touching the coffin that held their beloved. Chairman Cross scooted closer to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yes? And how may I help you?"

Well it figures. Hunt me down to ask me about the trip when I wasn't in the mood to be interrogated.

"Did you know," his voice was soft. "That your brother was buried in this very same cemetery?"

I blinked a couple of times. "Really?"

_Did you hear that Damon? I'm close to you._

"Do you want to see him?" He asked.

I glanced at Kiren and debated if I should leave her be. "I don't know if right now is the right time."

"They're going to want to be alone, Serena."

I contemplated this for a bit, chewing on my bottom lip. "Okay."

He guided me away from the crowd to an area surrounded by bare willow trees, creating a very creepy vibe. The branches of the trees reached down to each tomb like ghoulish hands greedily searching for souls to kidnap. I could picture the scenery during the summer, where lush green grass covered the stones and moss developed on the trunks of trees. When the branches of the trees would have leaves dangling and the wind would gently rush through them.

I should have waited until spring to visit his grave.

Yet, something dominated the atmosphere of the cemetery. The hair on my neck stood as if electricity was running through me, and it was suddenly warmer.

"Err…Chairman?"

"You feel it too?" He smiled, which confused me.

I shot him a skeptical glance. "What exactly am I supposed to be feeling?"

"A vampire hunter's spirit…err…they never truly leave." He coughed to clear his throat and I caught a whiff of his breath. "They have a…umm…a habit of staying behind to…to? OH! To guide the …umm…the next generation of vampire hunters!"

I eyed him suspiciously. "Did you by any chance sneak sake in?"

He hiccupped and wiggled his eyebrows at me. "How did you guess?"

"Oh for the love of God, Chairman!" I hissed.

"I can't..._hic_…help it! Funerals are too…_hic_…depressing!" he whined.

"If I have to carry you back," I growled in annoyance but he wrapped an arm around me.

"Oh don't…_hic_…worry darling…_hic_… I'll be…_hic_… fine," he giggled. "I can still walk."

He lifted his right leg up. "See? I still…_hic_…have my…_hic_…ba...balancccceeee."

Yeah, he had his balance all right, but he did not have his mind. He tried to show me that he still had his balance when he lifted his left leg up, forgetting that he needed his right leg down in order to remain standing and fell on his ass.

I exhaled loudly. "If there IS a God, He will give me _loads_ of patience."

I took one of his arms and draped it across the back of my shoulders. "Geez you're heavy."

He sniffled. "Are you…_hic_…calling me…_hic_….fat?"

I rolled my eyes. "Forget it."

I was about to drag his sorry drunk ass back to the funeral when a light, playful breeze passed by me. A boyish chuckle sounded in my ears, causing me to stop in my steps.

"Damon?" I asked uncertainly, glancing over my shoulders in hopes of seeing a small boy with red hair.

_No such luck._

"Da…mon? Damon? _Hic_…where?" He rolled his head to look behind him. "What are…_hic_…are you doing? His…_hic_…grave is over there."

I sighed. "I'll visit him another time."

I heaved him up and continued to walk despite his noisy protests. I had to threaten him to keep him quiet as we got closer to the funeral. Kiren was the first to spot me and gave me a questioning stare. I pointed at the Chairman with my head, signaling that he was definitely out of his mind. She nodded once and then her face became blank; an attempt to hide what she was really feeling. The rest of her family scowled at us and began to mutter amongst themselves.

I sighed again. How rude. Who the hell gets drunk at a funeral?

"I'll take him," Zero said, grabbing one of the Chairman's arms.

"I didn't know you were here," I said.

He gave me a tiny smile. "I tend to stay in the background. That way I go unnoticed."

Chairman Cross gave me a toothy grin. "Did you..._hic_...know that you...you look just like..._hic_... your mom? You're both so..._hic_...pretty."

I felt heat rise to my face, and he turned to look at Zero.

"How about you..._hic_...Zero...do you have any..._hic_...pretty women in your..._hic_...life?"

Zero rolled his eyes and dropped him not-so-gently into the car seat.

"Oww! _Hic_..." Chairman Cross giggled. "I hit my head!"

The male prefect ignored him as he settled himself into the driver's seat and adjusted the mirrors. It was then that I noticed Yagari-sama was also here, standing behind the car, resting his weight against a tree. His arms were crossed over his chest. He didn't wave at me. He didn't smile. He had a blank look too, as if he was staring past me.

"See you later," Zero told me, pulling away from the cemetery.

"Right," I said a bit too late.

It wasn't until after Zero departed that Kiren approached me and laid her head on my shoulder.

"I can't bear to be here any longer," she mumbled.

I waved at a chauffeur to grab his attention and pointed at us. "We're leaving!"

I took Kiren by her hand and led her to the car. Mr. Darako met us at the vehicle, patted his daughter on the shoulder, and said good luck in school. He then slowly made his way to his car and drove away.

I wasn't sure as to how to take that. Was it normal for a father to be distant after a death of a beloved? Was it cultural difference? Or was it just Mr. Darako? I knew it wasn't what Kiren wanted. When we got into the car, she buried her head in her hands and wept. Not knowing what to say to comfort her, I held her as closely as I could.

* * *

In the past, when Erica was still alive, we used to beat each other up to get over our pain. Erica had a knack for bottling things up until she could take it out on me. I, on the other hand, didn't bother to bottle anything up. I would just insult anyone who walked by and hit anything in my way.

I couldn't be that way with Kiren. Kiren was too gentle a person.

Erica would yell out profanities when she was upset. She would smack me silly when she was angry. She would degrade me when she felt insecure. I was her only way to vent out her agony.

Kiren was no Erica.

Kiren cried when she was upset. She was sarcastic when she was angry—possibly a side effect from hanging out with me too much. She was clingy when she felt insecure, needing to know where I was at all times. Her neediness was something I had to adjust to. Kiren would sneak her arm around mine and lean against me while we walked to class. She would space out in class so I took notes for both of us and later she would copy them in her zombie-state. At night she would climb into my bed, wrap an arm around my waist, and rest her forehead against my back as she wept.

I wasn't used to seeing such vulnerability.

It made me sympathetic. It made me patient. And it made me overprotective.

Shizune had the nerve to whisper something into Kiren's ears while we were walking to class the other day, and Kiren hid her face with her hair. I didn't need to know what Shizune said to upset Kiren. One little sniffle from Kiren and I tackled Shizune, knocking her onto the ground. I had a fistful of Shizune's hair to keep her head straight and my other fist ready to break her nose when Kiren shrieked and grabbed my arm.

"No, no, no, no! Stop! STOP! _STOP_!"

I was dragged off of Shizune by Zero who proceeded to throw me on the ground.

"Behave," he growled, lifting Shizune off the floor.

Shizune began to wail. "OOOOOH! I think she broke something!"

Zero tried to move her arm but she started screaming.

"That bitch!" Shizune shouted. "She broke my arm! That little BITCH!"

I shrugged her glare off. Zero rolled his eyes and began gently pushing her forward. "I'm taking you to the nurse."

I could still hear her scream after she turned the corner. I stood up and dusted myself off.

"Why did you do that?" Kiren questioned me softly, staring at the ground before her.

"Because she made you upset," I said bluntly.

"SERENA-CHAN!" She stomped her foot and glared at me, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her. "She was just saying she was sorry for my loss!"

There was a pause of silence.

"Oh," I mumbled, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck.

What else was I supposed to say? What did she want me to say? Did she want me to apologize? This was the first time she exploded, and I didn't understand what she wanted me to do.

"Oh? OH?" Kiren threw her hands up in the air. "What is wrong with you? Why are you so...so _damn_ _**violent**_? You can _NOT_ just attack people who upset me! Or—or attack people period. Just because people piss you off it doesn't give you the right to hit them! Life doesn't _work_ that way!"

I crossed my arms and stared at her indifferently, waiting for her to finish her rant. I was only guessing that she needed to vent in order to feel better. Maybe she was a bit more like Erica than I previously believed.

"Don't give me that attitude!" she continued, shaking her index finger at me. "You know that I'm right! You can't just be violent all the time! What if you come into contact with someone who could kill you? What then? You'll fight to the death just because they accidentally shoved you?"

"Are you pissy because I'm violent or because one day my temper will get me killed?" I asked bluntly, which I immediately regretted asking. My insensitivity to the subject made her burst into tears.

"You don't care, do you? You don't _care_ that people worry about you! You don't _care_ that people want to be sure that you're okay! You don't _care_ that for nearly this entire winter break I've been sitting in our room, ALONE, worried about YOU because for some REASON you went to RUSSIA and didn't bother to TELL ME WHY!"

_Oh dear. I've finally pushed the wrong button._

"Kiren…" I started to explain but she silenced me with a glare.

"You didn't even tell me about Kaede, who I know is a vampire!" she shouted as she cried. "That's right! I _KNOW_! You didn't even trust me enough to tell me about your mother! Your heritage with noble vampires and..."

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. "You—you _know_ about that? HOW? WHO TOLD YOU?"

"_NO ONE_ TOLD ME! I DO HAPPEN TO HAVE A BRAIN YOU KNOW! I DID MY OWN INVESTIGATION, YOU DOLT!"

I sucked in a quick breath. "Kiren, I wanted to tell you but-"

"But what? WHAT?"

"I don't know. It's just that…most humans don't know about vampires."

"Oh, I bet you just figured that it would be safer to keep me in the dark," she retorted.

"Well, yeah, kind of-" I muttered, at a loss for words.

"What about the fact that I'm dating a vampire? HMM?"

"HEY!" I shouted defensively. "I made sure he was a good one before I gave him permission to date you!"

"PERMISSION? DID I JUST HEAR YOU SAY PERMISSION?"

"Miss Darako and Miss Fontana! No more shouting! You know better than that! Indoor voices!" Our professor whacked us on the head with his ruler, coming out of nowhere. "And you're both late for class! _My_ class! Now hop to it!"

He rushed passed us, his shoes creating clicking sounds in the empty hallway. We stared at each other in silence.

Kiren inhaled sharply and wiped her face. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Kiren," I started to say. "I'm really sorry."

"I don't want to hear it right now," she grumbled and turned on her heel to head to the bathroom.

I started to follow her. "Kiren..."

She spun sharply, emerald orbs glaring furiously at me like dangerous knives. "I mean it, Serena-chan! I don't want to talk to you right now!"

I halted, respecting her wishes and watched her storm off. Exhaling loudly, I rubbed my temples.

I definitely blew that one.

* * *

Jade's room was cold--courtesy of the vampires. They kept all of their rooms cold. Chairman Cross was supposed to have moved Jade's room to the Sun dorms by now, but it seems that he's been occupied with other things, such as getting over his hangover. The smell of Jade's room improved greatly once the scent of his blood was removed and replaced by his natural scent.

Jade had a very forest-like smell. It was fresh, not overpowering, and to the point. Nothing flowery or grass-like. He didn't remind me of pine trees either. It was just clean-cut. The room was a much more pleasant place to be in once his scent nestled in. I could breathe in without worrying about a vampire being tempted by his blood. His room began to flourish with colors. That was probably due to Kiren. She visited him more often than I did. If she wasn't already dating Takuma, I would have accused her of dating Jade. The thought used to make me smile. After all, the thought made me a horrible friend. Jade probably hasn't even moved passed Erica yet.

He would need time to begin dating again.

He had extra sea green pillows on his bed, which wasn't made. Blue curtains kept the sun from disturbing his sleep during the early morning hours and the blinds were pulled down to keep others from peering in. Jade was a man of privacy. He had the Kuran bring him some video games, claiming that he would lose his mind if he didn't have something to keep him busy.

I probably should have gone to Hanabusa to talk, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with his snide remarks and counter arguments. Even worse, Hanabusa would have given me a concerned look and asked me if something was bothering me.

Well, something was bothering me. I just didn't want to talk about them with him. I needed to talk to someone who...I knew before this whole mess began. And Jade fitted that bill.

Ooooh....my head was starting to hurt.

"You need to start eating again," Jade frowned when he saw me.

I noticed that his black hair needed to be trimmed since it was untamable when he had the bed-head look. He appeared healthier than the last time I saw him.

I ignored his comment and pulled up a chair to sit next to him as he paused the screen. "I'm only here to play."

He snorted. "You never played a video game in your life. You just want to avoid something."

"I'm fine," I lied. "What are you playing?"

"See!" he exclaimed. "You don't even know what I'm playing!"

"I just walked in the room, you retard!"

"And you're quick to be defensive!" he snapped. "What is your problem?"

I chewed my bottom lip. "Nothing."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Liar."

"Just let me play a round."

He kept quiet until he poked my stomach. "Well? Are you starving yourself? Erica used to be on these hilarious diets--they never work, ya know? Waste of money."

I sighed. "No, I have not eaten yet."

He scowled. "Shame on you Serena. You used to keep such a great figure."

I glared at him. "What are you trying to say, Jade?"

"I hate skeleton-looking women?"

"Oh my God!" I threw the remote control. "FINE! I'll go eat! GEEZ!"

I got up from my seat, knocking it over, and was about to slam the door behind me when he said, "Is Kiren still not talking to you?"

I didn't say anything. I didn't have to. He already knew the answer.

"I figured as much," he said, unpausing his game. "You have a habit of either eating too much or not eating at all when you're stressed."

"Still as observant as ever," I muttered under my breath, turning around to face him.

"She's not really mad at you," he continued. "She's more upset about-"

"Her mother's death? Yeah, I figured. I just didn't think she'd take it out on me," I mumbled.

"That's not what I was going to say, but I can see how you would think that."

"Then what else is she upset about?" I questioned the know-it-all.

"I wouldn't expect you to know about how she felt when you were gone. When she realized you had gone to Russia without saying bye to her," he said. "She came to talk to me, which surprised me. I thought she would have gone to her boyfriend."

I raised an eyebrow. "I take it that you guys have become close friends? After all, not many people know that she's dating someone."

He chuckled softly. "Serena, you really underestimate your friends. People may not tell us things, but Kiren and I are very observant. We pick up details most people don't."

I rolled my eyes, remembering Kiren's words. "Yeah, she proved that."

"Oh?" He arched an eyebrow at me. "You know that she knows?"

"If you're talking about her knowledge of vampires and my family, then yes."

"She knows more than she lets on," he explained. "She was just waiting for you to confess to her, but after a while she was starting to feel like you didn't trust her enough to tell her. Or maybe she wasn't as important to you as she believed."

Something tightened and pricked my heart. "Why didn't she say anything before?"

"Before she blew up on you?" he smirked. "Because she was waiting for you to say something. She didn't want to pry--Kiren's very respectful of other people's space."

I groaned and squished my cheeks in frustration. "What a mess!"

He blinked a couple of times. "You look like a fish when you do that."

I glared at him. "Be serious, Jade."

"Speaking of prying, you never told me about Kaede...."

"She's dead," I said boldly.

"Positive?"

"I made sure of it," I smirked, giving him two fingers for victory.

"And you're not disturbed by it at all?" he asked, the same concern showing in his face.

I sighed heavily. "I don't know. I feel like it hasn't hit me yet."

"Any nightmares?"

"Not that I remember," I lied and rubbed my head.

"Go eat something," he told me, changing the topic. "I don't like how your cheek bones are starting to look."

My hand returned to the door handle. "Fine. I'll go eat. You're acting as if you're my mother."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Both of you are going to need someone to act like one."

I shot him a dirty look.

"Hey, I only speak the truth," he mumbled. "At least Kiren was able to say bye to her mothers. I never got the chance."

Another prick in my heart.

_Damn it. I forgot about that._

"Stop that," he told me, his face darkening. "Don't go blaming yourself again. Her death was not something you could have prevented, nor was it something you caused."

I sighed. "I know. I know."

Jade returned to his game, his mind focused on his character's survival, and totally oblivious to my staring. I wondered if he ever needed someone to act like his mother; someone to remind him that he was still cared for, someone who still worried about him. I wondered what kind of pain he felt when he thought of his family. I wondered if he had nightmares.

Without even thinking, I draped my arms around his shoulders and hugged him. "Thanks for the chat, Jade."

I felt him smirk. "Keep this up, and your boyfriend will have my head."

I snorted. "I doubt it. He hasn't shown his face in a while."

"He's been busy."

"How do you know that?" I scowled.

"Because he's noisy when he complains. Apparently the Kuran has him on some duty," he answered. "Besides, he probably knows you're busy nurturing a wounded roommate."

"Who happens to be the Queen of the Silent Treatment," I sighed. A beeping sound went off. "What's that?"

"That means I just died in the game," he muttered, his words triggered a shiver to go down my spine. "Damn it."

I cleared my throat and attempted to ignore the shiver. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just a little bit harder with one hand," he laughed. His laughter and smile did not meet his eyes. "But it's okay. I'll improve one day."

"Yeah," I said, my voice trailing off. "One day, everything will be okay..."

"Serena, quit stalling and go eat."

"Yes, Mom, I'm going!" I ruffled his hair before releasing him and marched out of the bedroom.

I made my way to the cafeteria, passing the Night Class students. I was supposed to be on duty tonight, but Zero told me not to worry about it. Tonight he had it covered. It made me smile a little, knowing that Zero cared enough to cut me a break. He must have overheard the gossip--the rumors flying around the Kiren and I had a fight. Well, it wasn't exactly just a rumor. We did have a fight.

But some details were totally exaggerated. For an example, I never laid a hand on Kiren. Kiren never accused me of cheating on her. That made me laugh the most. Apparently, some people believed Kiren and I were an item. Then there was a rumor of another girl being involved, which would have to be Shizune since she was the one I took down before Kiren started yelling at me.

_Gossip. It twists so many things._

* * *

She had rows upon rows of teeth, sharp and tainted with red. Blood stained her lips and it drooled down to her neck. Her eyes were dark red and catlike, capable of seeing in the night. The red hair on her head swirled in the wind, grabbing my attention like a flag. Her skin had sunken in--some skin was even shedding off and leaving her muscles exposed. She was deep breathing, snarling and growling.

"Serena," a demonic voice said my name.

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. I felt like someone had taken a drill and used it to create a huge hole at the back of my head.

"Serena," she smiled. "Serena. Serena. Serena."

She started to sing, the lyrics having only my name. She spun around me, frolicking.

I wanted to vomit.

"You know who I am," she whispered into my ears.

"I do," I said. I knew who she was. I just wanted to be in denial.

"Then call me by my name," she ordered.

"No." An alarm was going off in my head.

She cackled and began frolicking around me. "You know me by my name--say it!"

"NO!"

"CALL ME BY MY REAL NAME!" she roared.

She hurled herself at me, causing me to hit my head against something hard. As the world spun around me, she leaned down and exposed her fangs at me.

"Awww, Serena darling."

I growled. "I am not...your darling..."

She grinned wickedly. "That's right. You will be the one to kill me."

And then she whacked me on the head.

* * *

I couldn't sleep. Every time my eyes found a dark corner in the room, Mom's gruesome image of whacking me on the head would be lurking there. When the image didn't resemble Mom, it took the form of Kaede. I couldn't decide which one bothered me more.

Kiren was having a hard time falling asleep too. She kept tossing and turning, putting on her bed covers and then kicking them off. She'd sigh loudly, cough, and then lay absolutely still for a couple of minutes. She would never glance at me, but she knew that I was awake too.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" she asked me.

I couldn't help myself. "Oh my God. She speaks."

She scowled at me. "You've been just as quiet as I have."

"I didn't want to bother you. I was going to wait until you wanted to talk to me," I explained.

She inhaled sharply. "Sure you did."

"Kiren, really...you know what? Never mind. Just forget it." I grabbed my pillow and stood.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere else. It's too hostile in here," I grumbled.

She stood up. "Serena-chan, please, stop overreacting."

"I'm not overreacting, I'm just leaving so I can sleep," I told her, gathering my blanket. Where was the best place to sleep right now? Hanabusa would probably molest me, Zero would kill me, Takuma would force me to come back, the Chairman's office was out of the question...maybe Jade wouldn't mind.

"Please." She sounded different. Her tone expressed despair. "Don't go."

_Serena-chan! SERENA! HELP ME!_

A flashing image of Kiren being held by Kaede's grinning corpse surprised me, causing me to yelp. An alarming, ringing sound went off in my head. My stomach twisted, forcing me to go down on my knees. Everything started to swirl.

"Oooooh....shit..." My hands began to shake.

Kiren gently touched my shoulder, applying pressure to comfort me. "Are you okay?"

_Find him, kill him...he's a threat to your existence...._

I sat down and put my head in between my legs. Little swirly lines began dancing in front of my eyes. My head pounded, becoming heavy.

"Serena-chan...you're scaring me..." She sounded distant.

_Your prey escapes, young huntress_

I coughed and shook my head. I inhaled a deep breath. "Relax...I'm just a little sick."

I was hearing voices. Of course I was sick.

"Then maybe I should take you to the nurse." She was already getting dressed.

"It's okay. Just a little cold." I forced myself to laugh. "Now who's overreacting?"

Kiren glared at me and ordered, "Get dressed. We're going."

She had to drag me there. I was still in my nightwear and it was snowing outside. The night sky had a thick blanket of white clouds. The crescent moon would appear when it wasn't being mauled by the clouds, allowing little rays of light.

_What a perfect night to be attacked._

"What's going on?" Chairman Cross gave me a worried stare.

"I don't know," Kiren told him. "She turned pale and collapsed."

"I'm fine," I argued but right as those words slipped out of my mouth, Kaede's corpse stood right behind Chairman Cross.

She winked at me and licked her lips. I fought the urge to scream.

The Chairman ignored me. "Return back to your room, Miss Darako. She'll stay the night here."

"NO!" I shouted suddenly, causing them to jump.

"Serena..?" They glanced at me.

I grabbed her elbow. "She stays with me."

"Oh...okay. I'll have someone bring in another bed and-"

"Not necessary," I said, cutting him off. "She can just sleep in the same bed as me. Oh don't give me that look. It's nothing perverted."

I felt better knowing she was in touching distance.

"Very well," he said, frowning. He was already suspicious of my state. "You know where you can go."

I said good night to him and led Kiren to the Moon dorms, knowing full well we were better protected there. I kept reminding myself that Kaede wasn't really there. I was just seeing things. Kaede was dead. I made sure of it.

"Serena-chan...where..." Kiren panted as she tried to keep up with me as I practically dragged her by the arm. "Why are you such in a hurry?"

"You wanted to know, well now I'm telling you," I muttered under my breath, trying my best to ignore the cold as my foot sunk into the snow. "I'm telling you I wanted to keep you out of this because I wanted you safe. SAFE DAMN IT!"

I stopped walking, anger finally reaping out of me, and turned on her in my fury. "Erica, my best friend, is dead. She and her family were hunted down and murdered! Jade's family was slaughtered and he was tortured on my behalf! I went to Russia because I wanted to kill the bitch who killed my friends--the bitch who was now threatening the only family member I THOUGHT I had left. My Mom is slowly becoming some...zombie-like cannibal because she was bitten by a pure blood a long time ago---OH! And guess what! My Dad just happens to be the Chairman, who fucking abandoned me when I was five, and he suddenly just wants me to accept him!"

"And that's not all of it!" I shouted, arms finally in the air. "I killed Kaede! I thought I was okay with it since she killed so many people I cared about, but I've been having nightmares because of it, and _in_ my nightmare you're dying and I....and...I..."

My voice was breaking. "And I couldn't save you."

Kiren stared at me, eyes beginning to water. "Serena-chan..."

"I'm not done yet." I tugged on my hair in frustration. "There's more of them. More of Kaede-like creeps who have freaky powers. They're going to be hunting me down and they're going to go after the people I care about to get back at me. You see? DO YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING? You were supposed to be kept out of this! You were supposed to be kept safe!"

"And keeping me in the dark about this is supposed to keep me safe how?" she asked quietly.

I shot her a glare.

"Right, well, is that why we're going to the Moon dorms?"

My nerves began to calm down as we reached the gates. "Yeah...we're safer there."

Well, at least she was. I trusted the Kuran wouldn't let an innocent human die while in his territory. I, on the other hand, was a different story. We weren't exactly on best friend terms. If I had the option, I would transfer to a different planet. I didn't feel safe anywhere--not even near Hanabusa because being around Hanabusa meant putting him in danger.

And I couldn't handle that either.

* * *

Yes, I apologize for being absent for so long but I have a good excuse. I was robbed by my own roommate (she took my bank card and withdrew almost 500 from my account, which makes it a felony) back in September and the investigation took a long time (to gather evidence and such), so that kept me busy. And then she went missing for a month or so, and that made me paranoid.

But she's gone now so I can finally focus! I tried to create a creepy vibe for this chapter. And give Kiren more character development? Heh. Fail.

Anyway, one of my readers did point out that Kaede seemed weak in battle....she was supposed to be. Sorta. Kaede was never meant to be Serena's main opponent, but a way to introduce Serena and the readers to the clan who want Serena and her clan dead. As for who died when Serena blew up the Cathedral--Kaede...if I remember right...was the only one that died. The other vampires: Momi, Tolucan, and that one creepy vampire that wouldn't leave Serena alone....they escaped. So you'll see them in the future.

I've been debating about making a sequel...but it's making me squimish because that would take time...time that I don't have. Unless everyone is willing to wait until summer to being reading a sequel? -shrug-

Anyway, till next time! Please point out my mistakes!! I really appreciate them!

And happy holidays!


	25. Our Solemn Hour

Chapter 25: Our Solemn Hour

Everyone kept telling me that I was okay. That the things I heard and saw were all due to the side effects of killing a noble vampire for the first time. However, even with their reassurance, they studied me cautiously. Takuma's facial expression was currently curious and concerned. I had told him about my dreams and what usually happens.

I don't believe I have prophetic dreams.

I don't believe I can see ghosts.

I just didn't know what to tell Takuma or how to explain it, but I could see Kaede sometimes.

And Damon would occasionally tell or show me something important.

Since I was usually right, and my dream of Kaede holding Kiren against her will disturbed Takuma as well, he remained mostly at her side.

I didn't blame him. In fact, I felt a whole lot better when I saw him with her.

I made a vow to him that I would inform him of every dream I had just so he could be prepared.

Kiren was sitting in front of me with her legs curled under her butt and her hands neatly folded on her lap. She was patient, worried, and a bit disheveled. The wind had roughly played with her hair, making it look extremely poofy. She was tired but she wasn't about to leave me alone. Not when I was apparently hearing voices and seeing Kaede everywhere.

Hanabusa was leaning against the door frame, listening to the Kuran explain my situation to him. As if the Kuran could understand the unstable condition my brain was in! Hanabusa would glance at me once in a while, his eyes stormy. A strong wave of wanting to protect was flooding me and I could feel myself nearly drowning in his energy.

"Can I go to bed now?" I asked the swarming crowd of eyes.

I was getting annoyed. My personal space was being invaded. I was tired of being poked with foreign objects, having to stick out my tongue, and having my head scanned for any bruises on my brain.

The latter part I didn't doubt. After all, the explosion that killed Kaede had also hit me.

They continued to stare at me and I wondered if they had decided that I was a nutcase.

"Of course," the Kuran said softly, already leaving the room. It was a gesture that was followed by Takuma and Hanabusa. The vampires probably believed it was best to leave me alone, which was true.

I wasn't in the mood to deal with vampires. I only came to the Moon dorms because I knew Kiren would be protected. I crawled into the bed—the same bed that I was in when I had my ribs broken and had to be drugged up. The bed sheets smelled better, and not a bit of the room reeked of my blood anymore. It was like I had never been in it before.

Kiren got into her bed but kept her eyes on me. She looked like she wanted to ask me questions but didn't know how to word them without triggering my temper.

"Good night," she said into the darkness, flicking the switch so the light in the room died.

As if it was waiting for the darkness to surround me, I heard a familiar creaking sound. I groaned and pulled the bedcovers over my head, not bothering to check what it was.

I already knew what it was.

The same creepy looking doll on a wooden horse creaked back and forth on its rocker. Her black curly hair bounced when the horse swayed back and forth. Her cat-like eyes, violet amethysts, reflected only mischief. She grinned a crooked grin at me—a grin that told me I was in deep shit.

_I really need to invest in headphones._

"Kiren, turn on the light for a second," I said.

The light switched on. "Something wrong, Serena-chan?"

I looked around the room, finding no child-sized doll anywhere. I wanted to growl but that would have given away my dilemma and I didn't want to freak Kiren out. As long as the doll left her alone, and didn't try to smother me with my pillow, I was totally fine with its presence.

Okay. I'm lying. I'm not totally fine with its presence but beggars can't be choosers.

"Switch the light off," I told her.

She gave me a peculiar stare but did as I told her to, and once the light was off the doll was in the middle of the room again. The doll slowly creaked back and forth, knowing she was getting on my nerves.

"Do you notice anything weird?" I asked Kiren.

There was a pause of silence.

"Should I be?" she inquired, sounding worried. "Should I get Takuma-kun or Aidou-sempai?"

I snorted. I should have known I would be the only one to notice the freaky things.

"Nah, I just noticed that there was a necklace on the nightstand next to me," I lied.

"Did you leave it there?" she asked. "Isn't that the gift that your father got you?"

"Yeah," I said, looking at the sun and moon fused necklace. I fiddled with the necklace, which was actually hanging low on my collar bone. It normally gave me comfort, but tonight the metal was cold and heavy.

Almost like it wanted to warn me.

_If there's a God, please let me keep my sanity._

* * *

Jade returned to America yesterday. He said he had things to take care of back home, such as family affairs. It made sense. I mean...I bet he was worried about his other relatives. Not that I know much about them. In fact, I only remember meeting his aunt and uncle. He would probably stay with them. I wonder if they knew that members of their kin were dead. I wonder how their deaths were covered, if their deaths are known at all. Maybe his family members were told a load of bullshit.

He was supposed to call me whenever he had the chance, but I doubted it. I had a hunch that he was going to be extremely busy.

To be honest, I didn't really want him to go back. I wanted him to stay on school grounds, where I could keep my eyes on him and have him surrounded by people who could protect him. But that would have been selfish of me. I can't keep him locked up in his room just to make sure he was safe. However, it didn't stop me from worrying about him. I was already afraid that someone knew he had gone to America and followed him there to finish the job. I mean I know this is going to sound bad, but he probably can't defend himself on his own, and therefore he'd be an easy target.

Call me paranoid.

Anyway....tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I _hate_ Valentine's Day.

I hate the cards. I hate the candy. I hate the balloons. I hate the flowers. I hate seeing teddy bears everywhere. I hate how people are all over each other.

And I really hate how people look at me with pity when they don't see some random dude slobbering all over my face.

Kiren, on the other hand, was overjoyed. She had decorated the whole room a week ago with pink balloons and flowers, claiming that she just wanted to 'brighten' up the room. Every time my face met a balloon, especially in the morning when I would forget that they were there, I had to fight the urge to pop it. She also left random pieces of chocolate all over the place...

I once found a bar of chocolate in my shoe. It was weird.

I have never celebrated Valentine's Day before and wanted it to stay that way.

I suppose this was her way of dealing. Distracting herself with something to do, and not think about how we've been living in the Moon dorms for the past three weeks. At least her mood improved. She wasn't as clingy and she didn't cry every time someone said 'mom'. Takuma would have her sleep over in his room sometimes, forcing his roommate to sleep in his girlfriend's room, and leaving me to fend for myself. The nights Kiren was gone the creepy doll would move closer. I once woke up to find her an inch away from my bed and never ran so fast to the light switch in my life.

I was becoming accustomed to sleeping with the lights on and the Blood Star near my pillow. Ha, if I slept at all! I didn't bother mentioning the doll to Takuma. It's not like the doll was attacking me. It was just fucking with my mind. And that's what it was: A mind game.

It just wanted to have fun. It didn't really want to harm me.

Yet anyway.

I'm going to pull a Kiren and change topic--back to the Valentine's day part. Kiren took it upon herself to kidnap me after class, determined to buy the ingredients to make homemade chocolate. I allowed her to drag me to the stores, become her guinea pig as she forced me to try different types of chocolate, and carried all of the bags.

I felt like a guy.

When we returned to the Moon dorms, we headed straight to the basement where they had a small kitchen. Why did they have a kitchen in the basement? Who the hell knows. Maybe a few of the vampires kept their secret stash of blood in the refrigerator.

And if I was unlucky enough, I'd find a chopped up corpse while opening the oven.

"Serena-chan!" Kiren made a disgusted face. "That's sickening!"

_Oops. Must have said that last part out loud._

I smirked. "Yeah, I know."

Kiren shoved in a dozen of balled up chocolate, informing me that the balls would expand on the cookie sheet and then harden while it cooled off on the counter. I shrugged, letting her do all of the cooking. I did not trust myself with food. I was already tempted to lick the chocolate that was in the bowl. I had to keep my eyes busy by reading my latest Japanese homework assignment and contents of the Hunter Association Manual. I was still cursing myself for not finishing the latter.

And that's when the fire alarm sounded.

"Crap! CRAP!" Kiren shrieked, panicking. "CRAP! _CRAP_! **_CRAP_**!"

"Kiren, relax...it's just the fire alarm," I told her, covering my ears with my palms.

"Yes! But it's during the day! They are going to be so upset with me!" she whined.

"So what? If the blood suckers give you hell, I'll tell them off," I said simply.

She shot me a nasty glare and whacked my hand with the spatula. "You will do no such thing! We are currently residing in THEIR territory! We should be respectful of their schedules and sleeping patterns!"

Right. Me? Respect their sleeping patterns? HA! I don't ever recall myself respecting their sleeping patterns! Besides, Takuma was probably already awake.

"Why is the _fucking_ fire alarm going off?" An angry blonde poked his head through the door.

Hanabusa's hair was sticking up in very interesting angles, making it seem like he had devil horns, and his p.j. pants were hanging loosely on his hips. He squinted his eyes at me in outrage, immediately singling me out to blame. "Do you have ANY idea what time it is?"

"Good morning to you too, sunshine!" I smirked at Hanabusa, flipping him the bird.

"I am so sorry, Aidou-sempai! I burned the chocolate!" Kiren sighed loudly, throwing her apron.

At the sound of chocolate, his whole attitude changed. He licked his lips as his eyes sparkled childishly. "Chocolate?"

"Yes, chocolate..."I said suspiciously. I didn't realize vampires could eat chocolate.

He vanished and reappeared beside Kiren, clapping his hands together. "Are you making me some?"

Kiren glared at the oven as if it were at fault and then addressed Hanabusa's question with a tiny smile. "Aidou-sempai, this is for Takuma-kun! But I'm sure Serena-chan will be glad to make you some!"

"HA!" I sneered. "Only if I slip cyanide in it!

Hanabusa pouted. "Darling how can you be so cruel to me?"

A vein twitched on my forehead. "Go back to bed, Rabbit. Kiren won't be able to finish if you stay here."

"She has a point." Kiren quickly agreed with me, wanting to avoid a marital dispute. "Please leave...so I can finish."

He huffed, folding his arms stubbornly over his chest. "FINE!"

He stomped back up the stairs with his chin sticking up, peeking at us before leaving.

"You're not sneaking any chocolate, Hanabusa," I snarled. "And if you think that just because you're faster that you'll be able to get away with stealing, think again."

I dropped the Blood Star near the table so he could see it and smirked at him. "Come on. I _dare_ you."

He glared at me. "You're such a bit-"

Kiren cleared her throat, focusing her eyes on the next set of chocolate that needed to be made.

I grinned. "Damn straight! Wannabe chocolate thief."

He left us to our cooking--if you can call it that. We set off the fire alarm five mores times, causing the basement to be filled with smoke. I coughed a few times to clear my lungs and Kiren opened the small little window to let out the smoke.

"So, about that bonfire we just had," I teased Kiren, spraying the fire with the fire extinguisher.

Note to self: Never let Kiren cook without supervision.

"I don't get it," I muttered. "Why make chocolate when you can buy it already made?"

She shout me a glare. "You obviously don't know the customs of our culture, Serena-chan!"

"No..." I narrowed my eyes in annoyance. "I obviously don't."

"You're supposed to _make_ chocolate for the man you really cherish," Kiren explained, pouting. "And I just wanted to show that I really care about Takuma-kun!"

I sighed, looking at the ruined chocolate. "You know what? Why don't you let me make it?"

She glanced hopefully at me. "You know how to?"

"No, but maybe I won't start a fire every time I try," I laughed at her scornful face.

"Fine," she said, handing me the spatula. "Have fun."

I followed the directions carefully, not wanting to have another fire accident. I patiently waited for the timer to go off, but took the chocolate out of the oven four minutes before I heard the timer ding. Good thing I did too because they were already done. I laid the cookie sheet onto the counter and waited for them to cool off. Kiren smiled at me.

"Good job!" she said. "I should have made you do this from the very beginning."

I rolled my eyes. "Nope. I wouldn't have helped anyway. I hate cooking. So don't expect me to help much."

"But at least they can sleep peacefully when you cook."

"That's probably the only up side," I said, staring at the bowl.

Kiren followed my look to the bowl and flashed me a grin. "Did you want to lick it?"

I returned the grin. "I'm tempted to."

"Then have it." She handed it to me. She frowned when I didn't take it from her. "Don't tell me you're starting to follow your mother's advice about dieting."

Truthfully, her voice did pop in my head a for a split second to scold me, but I laughed. "Hell no! I was about to ask if you wanted some!"

She pulled up the stool to sit next to me and I brought the bowl closer to us. I handed her the spatula as I took out a spoon.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" she declared loudly.

"Kiren, Valentine's Day is tomorrow," I muttered under my breath.

"Don't ruin my fun," she smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever you say."

We both dug in.

* * *

If I thought class was a pain in the ass, I was definitely ill prepared for what would happen during the 'exchange'.

The crowd was insane.

At least during class the students would remain in their seats until the bell chimed so that they could hand out chocolate. However, during the 'exchange', everyone was bouncing off the walls with excitement.

And I do mean bouncing off the walls.

The crazed fangirls were climbing on top of each other to pass over the gate that separated the Night and Day class students. More than once I had to threaten them with violence to get them to back off. When the vampires walked passed the gates and stationed themselves where they could be given their chocolate, everyone lined up in front of their favorite Night Class student to give them the chocolates that were either bought or made, and some of them even waited in vain for the vampires to open and eat the chocolate.

The screams and declarations of love were what really got on my nerves. I thought my ears were going to bleed.

In the corners of my left eye I could see Takuma and Kiren sneaking off on their own, and I debated with myself if I should follow them. I decided against it, hoping that they wouldn't do anything stupid. My focused my attention on the massive crowd of female students surrounding Hanabusa. He laughed at them, waving and winking, accepting their gifts. However, as he walked away from them, he flashed me a huge grin.

"So! Do you have anything for me?"

"You're going to have cavities," I told him, annoyed.

"Oh come on! I know you do! Kiren said you did!" he said excitedly, ignoring the whines of the girls he left behind.

I glared at him. "Kiren lied, plain and simple."

He frowned. "Fine! You fun sucker! Ruin your Valentine's day all you want, but you won't ruin mine!"

He spun on his heels and faced his fans with a cheesy grin. "Anymore ladies?"

"Attention whore," I snarled.

He stuck out his tongue. "Fun sucker!"

"Yeah," I smirked. "Well at least I don't suck other things."

He snorted. "That can be taken in _so_ many ways."

"It was what I meant," I laughed at the face he was making and decided to say it a little louder. "That's right everyone! Hanabusa's gay! Sorry ladies!"

But instead of hearing whines and pouts, the girls started discussing outloud who Hanabusa's male partner could be. The girls looked at him curiously, checked out all the Night Class males and looked back at Hanabusa--much to his horror.

"Ladies! LADIES! I assure you that I am STRAIGHT!" he shouted, sending me a dark glare.

I smirked, sticking out my tongue. I won that battle. I left him to attend my other prefect duties, which included using the Blood Star to scare the crap out of the crazy fangirls. Valentine's day made them so much braver and annoying. They were even scheming on how to interrupt the classroom settings once the vampires were in the actual school. Well, every vampire was except Hanabusa who kept flashing me a huge grin.

That grin that told me he was up to something.

"Hey you!" Hanabusa shouted to get my attention.

A vein pulsed in the corner of my forehead as he stepped closer to me.

"You know, by now, you'd think he'd call me by name," I muttered under my breath. "What do you want?"

He winked at me, showing a small blue package of chocolate. "Thanks darling!"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "For what? Those weren't from me."

"Yes, keep telling yourself that lovely," he laughed. Before I could move away from him, he quickly kissed my cheek and took off running.

My face turned a bright shade of red, and then fury engulfed me. I balled up my fists as I started to chase him.

"_HANABUSA_! Come back here you asshole!"

Damn him for being so fast. Just as I was about to catch him, he was already in the classroom and the door slammed in my face. He stuck out his tongue from the other side.

"This isn't over, Rabit," I frowned.

I felt a mix of emotions as my heart pumped. I was angry because he had kissed my cheek but at the same time I was...giddy? Well, he shouldn't have done that in public. I mean what was he thinking? Especially with all of those crazy fangirls...

Ooooooh wait. The fangirls. They saw that peck on the cheek.

God damn asshole did that on purpose!

"I can see that he got his chocolate," Takuma said to me, appearing out of nowhere, and I nearly jumped.

"Takuma! A warning would be great next time!" I had a hand over my heart. I looked over his shoulder to see if the fangirls were stalking behind him.

Coast was clear so far.

Takuma chuckled. "Sorry, I thought you would be better at sensing me now."

"I'm just distracted. It's Valentine's day."

Takuma wiggled his eyebrows. "You do know that blue package of chocolate came from Kiren, right? However, she told him that it was from you."

"SHE WHAT?" Well no wonder that idiot thanked me. He thought the chocolate was a gift from me!

"Yes, she thought it would be rude not to give him any," he said.

"Then why didn't she just say it was from her?" I snapped.

"She said it would be awkward, and in my opinion her reputation as a lady would have been slightly tarnished. After all, she's dating me yet she gives another man chocolate? It is just not seen...as proper," he explained.

I glared at him. "You...just made that up, didn't you?"

He grinned and spun me around to face the school's exist. "I'm off to class, Miss Serena! I hope you have a lovely night! Oh, and be mindful of those...women...out there. They saw the--"

"Shut it, Takuma! It wasn't anything!" I cut him off and left the school before he could say anything else.

As soon as I stepped outside though, I was faced with a bunch of would-be rapists.

I mean...fangirls.

And Shizune was leading the crazy bunch. They all had balled up fists, raised hair, dark violet glares that screamed murder, and fake fangs.

"Fontana Serena, you have violated the third law of--" Shizune began her lecture.

"I don't follow the school rules. What makes you think I'll follow your cult's rules?" I interrupted.

Shizune sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "Have you gone insane?"

I swung the Blood Star over my shoulder with my right hand and held my chin thoughtfully with my left. "My sanity...whatever happened to my sanity?"

"Fontana, this is no time for your stupidity," Shizune growled.

"Oh yeah," I continued, ignorning Shizune. "I traded it for a sandwich. It was a good sandwich. Just like I always love them."

"CHARGE!" Shizune yelled, her index finger pointing right at my forehead and her left leg stomped forward.

And that's when all hell decided to make me prey.

* * *

I plugged my nose as I tried to prevent myself from sneezing. If I sneezed, I was going to give away my position and that would have led to a disaster. It's too bad the Chairman is against killing fangirls.

"They're my students!" he says. Well, he's not the one being HUNTED down like a dog right now.

All because of a dumbass who decided to kiss my cheek in public.

I'm going to kill him. There's no rule against killing the vampires. Though the Kuran would hate me for the rest of my life--if he didn't already. Not that the Kuran's lack of affections mattered to me.

I scanned the area before I made my way to the Moon Dorms. The fangirls weren't allowed there. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if they were breaking the rules today. It was fucking Valentine's day, which means they'll do anything stupid to make sure that the obsession of their life at least knows that they exist. Once I got past the old, creepy man who guarded the gates to the Moon Dorms I started to feel better.

"You're supposed to be watching over the human territory tonight, Fontana," Zero frowned at me.

"It's your turn to babysit the mindless piranhas in heat," I glared back.

I received a tiny smile from the silver haired brat. "Mindless piranhas. That's new."

"Just go already."

To my surprise, he agreed to switch locations and I was left to guard the vampire area. I sighed and found myself wandering around the area carelessly. The vampire area usually were boring since the students---vampires--- were in class. The vampires who occassionally skipped knew that it was better to stay in their rooms than to wander off because they would either get caught by a prefect or be scolded by the Kuran.

And it was always worse to be scolded by the Kuran. All of the vampires respected him.

At least it was pretty tonight. The moon was full and the stars were bright. I could locate Mars, showing off its reddish hue in the sky. With the moon being full, it was easier to see and check the areas to make sure that they were void of beings.

"Serena-chan," a feminine voice greeted me and i spun around to see Yuuki.

"Well hello stranger, you've been gone for a while," I smirked at her.

She blushed at my response. "I know...I've been..."

"Hibernating a little bit? Probably next to your hubby?" I teased her.

She pouted her lips, almost as if she wanted to scold me for teasing her, but she began to giggle instead. "I guess you could say that."

Truth be told, I had no idea as to where she disappeared off to. I haven't seen her since last semester...a little after Jade woke up. I would have asked her what happened, but I already knew I wasn't going to get an answer. That was strictly vampire business.

However, I could ask her why she was out now. "So, what causes you to join me tonight?"

She shrugged. "Got tired of being locked up and I wanted to be outside."

An eyebrow rose. "Locked up?"

I felt my face twitch. If someone ever locked me up there would be hell to pay.

"OH! It's not like that at all!" she said, her hands up in defense. "I was....I was just..."

"Forget it. I don't want to know." I waved it off.

She cleared her throat. "Well, I'll be off now. I have a place to be."

She curtsied, offered me a polite smile and made her way around me to move on.

I blinked a couple of times. "Did she just...curtsy? To me? Of all people?"

That wasn't all though. Her hair was much longer. I mean it was long before, but now it nearly reached the ground. And something was off about her scent.

Damn Kurans. Can't trust either one of them.

* * *

Three days have passed since Valentine's day, and I was in the middle of my math class when the Chairman stuck in his bubbly head into the classroom. He had a serious face on, which alarmed me right away, and when he pulled me out of class to inform me that someone was on the phone I moved faster than a cheetah to beat him to his office.

"Serena, sorry about this. I know that he interrupted your class. I told him I would call later," Jade said.

"It's all good. Just tell me what's wrong," I told him and tried to kick the Chairman out of the office so I could have some privacy.

But he was stubborn so I had to cover the phone with my hand to tell him he needed to leave.

"I want to listen too! This is about your mother," he mumbled.

I frowned. Well, I didn't know that. I uncovered the phone. "Jade, what's wrong with Mom?"

"Well first, let me tell you that the people here think my family died in a train accident." He avoided my question.

"What train accident?" I asked.

"The one that occurred in China during your winter break."

"But I was in that train crash...and it was much, much later. How's that possible?" I was confused.

"Well, apparently the chinese police found the bodies of a family that look a lot like mine..." he voice trailed off.

"Oh," the Chairman interrupted. "That could be the work of the Bokyo clan. One of the members has the ability to change the appearance of corpses. That person might have taken some of the victims and transformed their appearances."

"Why the hell would they do that?" I snapped.

"Because darling, the Bokyo clan doesn't want the humans to know that vampires exist. They want to be able to devour their meals without having their victims being able to fight back. After all, if the humans were better informed, they would also be better armed."

"That makes a lot more sense now," Jade said.

"You can hear him? Sorry, he's not supposed to be in here," I apologized. "But he won't give me privacy."

"It's okay. He needs to know this too anyway."

"What else is going on?" I asked. "What about Erica's family?"

He sighed. "Same deal."

"And no one is suspicious of anything? What have your relatives done? Have they asked you about your arm?"

"No, it's like they're completely brain washed. They think I lost my arm in the train accident, and that I was lucky to survive." I could hear the venom in his voice. "But that's not all, Serena. I was just given Sunflower two days ago."

"Sunflower?" The Chairman asked me.

"Erica's bitchy dog," I told him and turned back to Jade. "Yeah? And what happened?"

"She died this morning. She was drained of blood."

I wanted to smash the phone against the table. "How the fuck are the Bokyo--"

"It wasn't the Bokyo family, Serena," Jade interrupted.

"Who was it then?"

"I got the dog from your mom, Serena," Jade said in a quiet voice.

My body went cold. I heard him inhale deeply before continuing.

"When I got the dog, I noticed a lot of puncture holes on the dog. Your mom didn't tell me anything about the dog being attacked by other vampires, and Mr. Tampon didn't look so well either."

"What do you-" My voice cracked so I had to clear my throat, "What do you mean?"

"I mean he seemed to be suffering from lack of blood."

"Fuck!" I growled, repeating the word under my breath. And all of the sudden the room got really small and really hot.

The Chairman put his hand on my shoulder to steady me. "Serena, perhaps you should sit down."

He yanked a chair over and gently pushed my shoulders to force me to sit.

"Serena?" Jade was anxious on the other side.

"Still here," I answered.

"I think it's almost time."

I groaned and dropped my forehead onto the desk. It was so soon, wasn't it? I thought I had more time. Or did time slip by me without even realizing?

I stood up, immediately shoving the phone into the Chairman's hands as I left the office.

"Serena? SERENA!" he shouted down the hall. "Where are you going?"

"I want to be left alone," I snapped and started to run.

But I knew I couldn't run from my problems. No matter how I fast I ran.

* * *

I found myself staring at my brother's tombstone. I wasn't sure how I got to the graveyard, or how long it took me. To be honest, I didn't want to know how long.

I was avoiding time. I was pretending time didn't exist.

The end can't come if time didn't exist, right?

It was a small tombstone, which is probably normal. He was a kid, after all. A bouncy, playful kid.

His birthday was May 17. It made me smile. We were both born on the number 17. That made him a Taurus then, or at least that's what Erica would have told me. She was the one who was more into astrology. I guess that's what we sort of had in common---astronomy and astrology.

I was freezing. My legs felt like two blocks of ice and I was surprised that I could still tell that I had fingers. My skin had turned a light shade of blue though. Not a good sign. It was windy as hell. My hair was a mess.

I was a mess. Inside and out.

Tonight it wasn't as bright because the clouds were racing past the moon. The trees looked more ominous with their naked branches that seemed to reach out with black, sharp fingers. Instinct was telling me to leave, but I didn't want to go. Not until I heard Damon's voice.

I needed encouragement. I needed strength.

I was the little sister that needed her big brother.

Something behind me snapped, like a person stepping onto a twig. I spun around and instinctly swung the Blood Star in front of me for protection, and came face to face with a male...human?

He stepped under the street light so I could see him better. He had brown hair that reminded me of one of the vampires back at school...what was his name..Shiki? And he had brown eyes. Cold eyes that were scheming. He was taller than me with light complexion to his skin. He wore my school's black uniform, so there was a possibility that he was a student. I doubted it though.

At this time of night, all of the Day Class students were in their dorms.

"Who the fuck are you?" I snarled.

"You should introduce yourself first, if you want my name." He gave me a smug smile.

I dangerously narrowed my eyes. "How about I just swing this at your head, hm? I like that idea better."

"Takamiya Kaito. And I assume you are Fontana Serena."

"Assume is to make an ass out of you...and you," I replied. Like I'd actually agree that it was my name. What if he was lying?

"I see you have an attitude--I bet it comes in handy," he smirked.

He was keeping a safe distance from me. I don't blame him. I was armed and wouldn't hesitate to remove his head.

"Get to the point. What the hell do you want?"

"As a fellow member of the Vampire Hunter Association, I've come to inform you of your duties," he said with an air of arrogance. "There is a ball being held for all pureblood vampires...kind of like a reunion. And you are to attend as a guard."

"Shove it, I'm not a part of the Vampire Hunter Association," I retorted.

His smirk, if it was possible, got bigger. "Oh but I think you'll want to attend this ball, Miss Fontana. With all the purebloods going, you can bet Hajime will be there."

"And why should I care?"

He looked at me as if I wasn't intelligent enough to exist. Like he was far superior to me just because he knew who Hajime was and his importance to me. "He's the leader of the Bokyo clan. I thought perhaps you'd like to meet him."

Hearing the name Bokyo caused me to swing the Blood Star on impulse and he quickly jumped to dodge it, causing me to blow up a tree. I was definitely not in a good mood to listen to someone talk about the Bokyo clan.

He sneered. "You missed."

"That was a warning, asshole. The next time I won't miss," I promised, gripped the Blood Star tighter.

We glared at each other for a while, neither of us moving. I could feel my body begin to tense with the urge to strike him down.

He smirked devilishly. "Well, at least I know that you'll be useful to our association."

"Are you brain dead or something? How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not part of your fucking association?" I snapped.

"You're right. You're too stupid and weak," he said and turned his back on me.

"Stupid? WEAK?" I charged at him but he disappeared right before I could smash his skull in.

However, humans can't disappear. Meaning he had jumped into the air.

Like I figured, he was directly above me and about to kick me in the face, so I used the spiked ball end of the Blood Star to block him. I heard him grunt and watched him land awkwardly a few yards away. One of the spikes had cut his ankle.

But he laughed. The dumb fucker laughed. "I'll see you at the ball."

Against my better judgment, I allowed him to limp back to wherever the hell he came from. He had a point. I would show up at the ball. I wanted to meet Hajime. I'll admit that I'm nervous about meeting the pureblood of the clan who wants me dead, but who better to kill while I was pissed off about Mom. And it's not like it was impossible for me to kill a pureblood vampire. After carefully reading the latest chapter of that now useful manual, I've come to realize that vampire hunters can indeed kill purebloods.

It gave me hope. Even if I logically knew that it was false hope.

I wasn't strong enough to kill a pureblood...yet.

However, maybe Yagari-sama. Or Zero.

In the mean time, I was seriously considering planting a bomb at the Vampire Hunter Association's headquarters. I wondered if I could persuade Zero to join me and my madness.

* * *

End of the chapter! Woot! I wasn't sure if I wanted to bring Kaito and Yuuki, but...I have it in the plans...muwahaha.

I won't apologize for taking forever to write this up. And you don't want to know my reasons why. Heh heh. Some parts of the chapter I was actually writing about on Valentine's day, hence why it's featured. Though Serena and I don't share the same sentiments---not that I absolutely adore the "celebration" but I'm okay with it.

The number 17 is actually considered the most unlucky number in Italy--and 13 is considered lucky. Why 17? I have no idea. I keep forgetting to ask Mom but I don't think she knows either.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. It has a little bit of humor....


	26. The Breaking Point

Author's note: For those who haven't read the recent manga chapters (or at all, not that I blame you), Kaito is a canon character. I don't really know much about him because he's new, but it was mentioned that he and Zero know each from when they were younger. Apparently, they had the same sensei (meaning he's also a part of the Hunter's Club lol). And...I think that's about it.

**Chapter 26**: The Breaking Point

My eyes were starting to itch due to the lighting of the room.

The walls of the ballroom were painted yellow, so when the light from the huge, dangling chandeliers hit the walls the room filled up with a warm, golden glow. To be honest, the glow was irritating my eyes. Besides, weren't they lovers of the dark? So what the hell was going on with this bright ass room?

The ballroom was crowded.

I haven't even joined them yet and I could tell that there were a lot of vampires. They reeked of old pages of a book and stolen blood. The purebloods were standoffish, watching the inferior vampires ogle them with their greedy eyes. For a mere second, I pitied the purebloods. They always had to question who was truly loyal to them and who actually wanted to kill them for their blood.

But that was only for a second. I stopped caring after that. After all, they created their own mess.

The floor of the ballroom, whenever I got the chance to see it, had an ongoing red carpet of gold lions and red dragons. How ironic-a room filled with predators, and the carpet was of lions and dragons. In the corners, the waitresses and waiters filled up their trays with what looked like red wine and food. However, I assumed that the red wine was not wine at all.

I was upstairs, looking down at them through a small crack of the bathroom door. I was debating whether or not I really wanted to be here. Sure, the head of the Bokyo clan was going to be here, but was I ready to face him?

I was wearing the same silk, black dress I wore last semester to the school dance but it looked slightly differently on me. I frowned in the mirror, taking in the plunge of the V-neck halter top and the way the dress clung to my curves. I must have gained weight again because it was a little looser the last time I wore it. I huffed, frustrated. How could I have gained weight? After all the running around I've had to do? And what about my insane training? I even gave up ice cream for a short while!

Well, whatever. More meat on me just means more curves and bigger boobs.

I tied the red ribbons into a knot on my back and adjusted the top of the dress so my breasts wouldn't fall out. I had to borrow Kiren's black heels because I couldn't find mine, and her heels made me three inches taller. I was about to make my appearance to the vampire's little get together—the political reunion of the purebloods.

I had spotted Yuuki with the love of her life near the center of the crowd earlier, but the look on her face made me curious and cautious. She wasn't being her usual giddy self. She was calm and stoic...it didn't suit her at all.

It was what made me reluctant to join the vampires-even though I knew Zero and Yagari-sama were also among them. As members of the Hunter Association, they were there to babysit. I, on the other hand, was there to harass the head of a rival clan. And to add to my list, I wanted to meet the leader of the Hunter Association so I could chew them out. I wasn't going to become a part of their stupid association, so they can shove it up their asses!

Problem was that I didn't know how either leader looked, so when I arrived to the stupid reunion I immediately headed upstairs to watch from afar.

I glanced again at the reflection in the mirror to make sure I was presentable.

My hair was ironed straight, which took me about two hours to do because it was being rebellious. Kiren had begged to put make up on me before I left, so my mud brown eyes were given a smoky look and my lips were maroon. To be honest, I felt and looked a little slutty. I wanted to go change and wipe off the makeup. I mean how is a girl supposed to be taken seriously when she looks like she's about to flash the world?

Another problem was my weapon. Where the fuck did they want me to put this thing? I'd put it on my back like I normally do but tonight the spikes didn't want to retreat into its usual place inside the ball, which complicated things. When I tried to put it onto my back, the spikes got a hold of my dress and it nearly ripped off the dress. I, personally, refuse to go a vampire get-together and have the dress accidentally slip off me as I was walking around. Guess I was just going to have to carry it around my waist-cause that didn't feel awkward at all.

I sighed and stood tall as I made my way downstairs, catching the eyes of the predators. To them I wasn't a creature of seduction, which any human male would have seen me as. Nope. To them I was a tasty meal, and the bonus was that I looked mouthwatering.

Except one person.

He was wearing a black tuxedo, an aquatic blue colored vest over an ordinary white blouse, and a matching aquatic blue tie. His back was to me and he had his hands jammed into his pockets, giving him a laid back look. However, he wasn't relaxed at all. His oceanic eyes scanned the ballroom to make sure no one was harassing the purebloods and that no harmful attempts were made onto the Kuran couple.

I snuck up behind him and cleared my throat as I folded my arms over my chest. He spun around quickly to check who was behind him and his eyes popped open.

"Serena! So glad to finally see you here! And you look ravishing!" Hanabusa flashed me a toothy grin as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, causing the vampires to narrow their eyes and question his claim on me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, keeping the predators in my line of sight.

"Though, I must say, do you really have to wear that thing around your hips? It's distracting and the spikes are poking me," he pouted.

"That's because you're too close," I smirked. "So back off."

He smiled at me but he didn't remove his arm. He gave me a playful wink and tilted his head to Zero's direction. "Your buddies are here."

That said, I glanced at the other prefects. I felt odd being the only female prefect present-Yuuki was playing the role of a vampire tonight. Zero, dressed in his prefect clothing, was standing against a column with a void expression on his face. His comrade, Kaito, was standing next to him. Kaito's eyes were alert and suspicious, but once he saw me he waved and smirked at me. A smirk that said he knew I'd show up.

His cockiness was really beginning to grate my nerves.

Taking in their appearance, I noticed I was the only one actually dressed up.

I frowned. "Was I supposed to be dressed in my prefect clothing tonight?"

"Well, technically yes, but this looks a lot better," Hanabusa grinned.

Damn it! I could have gone in just normal clothes? I glanced at the clock on the wall. No luck. I didn't have enough time to go back and change.

_Fuck my life._

"Miss Serena, it's so nice to you here." A polite voice greeted me. Takuma was in a tuxedo but his vest was black and his tie was red. He appeared to be tired. I had seen him earlier talking to a long haired female pureblood and he didn't look so pleased to be chatting with her.

In fact, seeing me might have been his excuse to escape their conversation.

"Not by choice," I lied to Takuma. "Are you having any fun?"

Takuma chuckled, bringing his hand to his mouth. "As much fun as political gatherings can be."

That was a no, but I kind of already knew that.

"Well, I'll be right back," I said, spotting Yagari-sama. I had a few questions for him. "I need to go speak to my mentor."

Takuma smiled and returned to the Kurans, but Hanabusa grabbed me right before I left.

He gave me a stern look. "Be careful."

"Why?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Because it's not safe for humans to be here and I don't care if you're strong...the purebloods are always going to be stronger," he said seriously, concerned. "I don't trust all of them."

Translation: Don't do anything stupid or you'll get your ass kicked.

I smirked and waved him off. "I'm just going to see Yagari-sama! Chill!"

Hanabusa rolled his eyes in disbelief but released me. "Just be careful, okay?"

As he walked away, I quickened my steps to catch up to Yagari-sama. He was moving away from the ballroom, going up the stairs. It made me question where he was going.

"Yagari-sama! Wait up!" I shouted, taking two stairs at a time.

Yagari-sama tucked one hand into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to ask you something. I wanted to know what the purpose of this...gathering was. I mean everyone is calling it a political gathering, but I don't hear anyone discussing politics."

Yagari-sama smirked. "It's really just an excuse for everyone to meet up and spend quality time with the purebloods. They're just going to gossip here and there, and keep their eyes on the prize."

Prize? Ah, the Kurans. I gazed back at them. Yuuki was smiling politely and waving at everyone closest to her in proximity, but her lover was silent and attentive.

"Hey, would you happen to know who the leader of the Hunter's Association is?" I asked, keeping my eyes on the Kurans.

I heard him chuckle. "Sure do."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Can you tell me who?"

That earned me a wide smirk. "Zero is, or he will be soon. Right now I'm sort of guiding it."

I was floored. "Wait. You mean…what?"

He laughed at me. A real sound of laughter and had it been under different circumstances, I would have pouted in offense. But I was angry.

"I've been hounded by the Hunter's Association to join their stupid club and Zero has been the leader the entire time? He knows I don't want to join!" My nostrils flared and there was a ringing in my ears. "What the hell is his problem? He can't take no for an answer?"

"Well, Serena, I think you should talk to him about it then," Yagari-sama commented coolly, blowing out smoke. I was pretty sure he wasn't allowed to smoke here but then again when has he ever cared about the rules?

"I think I will. Excuse me!" I said to a vampire who was in my way and stomped passed him. I found Zero to still be leaning against the same column and he raised an eyebrow at me when he noticed the fumes coming out of my ears.

"You and me! Right now!" I shouted from across the room, pointing a finger at him.

"What's your problem?" His tone was indifferent.

He made no effort to fight me off when I grabbed his forearm and dragged him until we were outside on the balcony. However, the glare on his face did give me the impression he wanted to strangle me and then drag my dead body by the hair to bury me somewhere I wouldn't be found just for creating a scene.

And the glare intensified when I got in his face. "What the hell, Zero! Why do you keep hounding me to join the Hunter's Association? And don't pretend like you don't know what the hell I'm talking about 'cause you do! You sent Kaito after me and before that-"

"Would you keep it down?" he snapped. "I know."

"Then explain." I folded my arms.

Before Zero could open his mouth to inform me, he was intercepted by the Chairman.

Zero inhaled deeply to calm his nerves. "Chairman Cross."

The Chairman waved at him, smiling. "Hello Zero-kun, I see that she has finally figured you out. No worries! I shall take her off your hands!"

I glared at the Chairman as Zero made a slight nod of acceptance and returned to the ballroom. Once Zero was out of earshot, he cleared his throat and placed his hand onto my back. He gently nudged me closer to the edge of the balcony.

"I didn't know you were going to be here," I mumbled.

"Well, all the vampire hunters are," the Chairman smiled.

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow at him, a vein twitching on my forehead. Maybe this was a good time to blow up something.

"Serena, what you just did was dangerous," he said lowly.

"What did I do?" I took notice of what he was wearing.

Chairman Cross was dressed entirely in black, as if prepared for a funeral, and he was wearing thick black boots. He had something dangling at his side—a long sword.

_Well, this is interesting. I've never seen him like this before. It's almost like he knows something that I don't. _

"You called attention to yourself," he sighed, dropping his head. "Now the purebloods all know that you're here."

"And why is that bad?" I asked.

"You were wondering why Zero was trying to recruit you to the Hunters' Association, correct?"

I nodded my head gradually.

"You're a valuable hunter. Don't give me that look—you are what you are."

I became curious. "What do you mean 'valuable'?"

"It's your heritage that makes you different from most vampire hunters. From my side you have the hunters' genes. From your mother's side you have the vampire genes, even though it's slightly diluted since the noble vampires in your clan mated with humans," he explained. "You do know how a vampire hunter was first created right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I read the stupid manual. The first vampire hunter was a human who ate a pureblood," I said, disgusted.

"Then you can see why you are important," Chairman Cross continued, his eyes trailing behind me. "You're much stronger than you realize, and with training you would be able to reach that potential. It's why we didn't want the purebloods to know that you were here."

My eyebrows furrowed together. "I am very confused."

"About?"

"Kaito came to me saying I was supposed to be here because of the Hunters' Association, and as a member—which I am not—I was to show up. I figured that since it was a vampire gathering, so close to the school, you'd want the prefects here to keep an eye on them."

Chairman Cross smiled. "Serena, you're lying. That's not the reason you came."

I fidgeted. "What are you talking about?"

"You came because Kaito informed you of Hajime, the pureblood of the Bokyo clan. I'm not a big fan of Kaito," he answered.

"Why?"

"Kaito is Zero's childhood…associate. They trained together under Yagari-sama. And he has a habit of sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Anyway, you're not supposed to be here. I told Zero not to mention this gathering to you since I knew Hajime would be here, but it seems Kaito got to you first since all Hunters were notified."

"Is that why you're here? To watch over me?" I was touched…sort of.

He wrapped an arm around me. "Well, couldn't let anything happen to you. You're the baby of the family."

It was complicated. A part of me was enjoyed the bonding moment, but the other part of me was irritated. I don't need a babysitter.

_But if I'm not supposed to be here, why didn't Hanabusa lecture me?_

"Tell me something, do the vampires know I'm not supposed to be here?"

"The vampires of the school know you're not supposed to be here, but they figured if they told you to leave it would only make matters worse since you'd defy them in a rather noisily way. They're merely going to watch you."

Great. I'm being spied from all around. "And me making a big scene?"

"That allowed everyone to know you're here, and therefore so does Hajime." I heard him sigh loudly again. "He won't make a move until he has an opening. Serena, don't give him an opening. And it's not just him you have to be wary of—all of the purebloods are dangerous."

"You're preaching to the choir."

"Yes, but you seriously don't realize your situation. As a human with vampire genes and hunter genes, you make a formidable foe. You don't know how many purebloods, or even nobles, would want to—"

"What? Drink my blood?"

"Turn you, Serena. If a pureblood were to bite you, you'd become a Level E at a much slower rate. And if they provided you with the blood you needed, you'd make an excellent warrior for them. A bodyguard."

"As if I'd guard them," I scoffed.

"You wouldn't have a choice. Their advantage over you is that they're giving you blood. You'd become dependent on them, just as Zero was dependant on the Kurans. And it's control over you that they want. It's a power thing."

I felt my body twitch nervously. "Is Zero still dependant on the Kurans?"

"No, after…certain circumstances…"

"What circumstances?" I interrupted.

His face became gravely serious. "He ate his twin brother and drank the blood of the pureblood who turned him. When a Level D vampire drinks the blood of their creator, they can prevent themselves from becoming a Level E."

I made a disgusted face. "He ate his twin brother? I didn't realize he had a twin brother!"

"Serena, you did read what happened to twins while they're in the womb, correct?"

The thought made me sad. "Yes...one of them is eaten so they can become one strong vampire hunter. Why didn't it happen in the womb then? Why did Zero have to..."

The Chairman shrugged. "It happens."

"Well then what? Do they remain as Level D after drinking their creator's blood?"

"That depends on the person. For an example, Zero is on equal grounds with the pureblood vampires when it comes to power and strength."

"And would happen to me if I went through the same bull shit he did?" Not that I would want to go through it. Nope. I like being human thank you very much.

"That would also depend."

"On what?"

"Your sanity," he said. "Zero has a greater amount of control over his emotions. You don't. I would guess that you would lose your temper and create a massive massacre."

"Thanks. You have such confidence in me," I sneered.

"You make it sound like you want to go through what he did—just to gain power. You're not becoming power hungry, are you?" His tone was a concerned one.

In truths, the thought of being on equal grounds with the purebloods did sound appealing to me, but only because by then I would be able to really wipe them out if they decided to attack me. However, to be changed into a vampire in the process was not in my plans. I'll get as strong as Zero, but by my own rules.

"Me? Power hungry? Nope. I do have another question though."

"What?"

"How do I become as strong as Zero without becoming a vampire?"

"Ah, you'd have to join the Hunters' Association for that information," he smirked. "Only the Association can provide you with the proper training and information to become stronger. I would know. I've been in it all of my life."

"Which is what? Thirty years?" I scoffed.

"Actually, I'm not as young as I appear to be. I'm almost 273 years old." He gave me a peace sign as my jaw dropped.

"Are you fucking with me? Are you sure you're not an ancestor?"

He let out a loud roar of laughter.

"How can you be so old?"

"It's the vampire hunter's genes. We age very slowly," he grinned.

Well, I guess that's a plus for me. I would have time to lose weight and look my best at some point.

"But we do die, right? We don't just keep going like vampires, right?"

"Yes we do die. Mostly by murder though."

And that's a minus. Damn it. Can't win it all I suppose.

"Why? Would you want to be immortal?" he asked curiously.

I folded my arms, standing straighter. "No, I don't."

"Why not?"

"Because who'd want to live forever when there might be paradise on the other side? And besides, I have family and friends to return to."

"So you do believe in the afterlife."

I shrugged. "I could be wrong, but I certainly wouldn't want to live like this forever."

"So back to the whole Hunters' Association, are you joining us? You'll become stronger, promise."

"You're honestly baiting me?" I frowned.

"I'm actually quite torn to be honest. As a father, I'd rather you'd keep away from this mess. As a fellow hunter, I'd like to see you fight by my side. I know you enjoy fighting—it's practically in your genes. And let's be realistic, you'll always have someone after you now that you've made yourself known to the Bokyo clan. I would want you to be strong enough to defend yourself," he stated somewhat sadly.

And that's how I became a part of their stupid club. I figured as long as Zero was in charge, and I had the opportunity to become as strong as he was, I was in.

"I'm going to head back in. Stay out of trouble," he ordered.

"Should I just leave?" I asked.

"No, if you leave now you'll be followed. You're safer within a crowd. However, if you happen to see someone with lime green eyes, stay as far away as possible."

Lime green eyes—practically the signature of the Bokyo clan.

I merged back into the crowd of vampires, moving more slowly and carefully. I was aware of why they were staring at me now. I had been wrong about the meal part. Well, maybe not entirely wrong. I was making my way back to Hanabusa when someone bumped into me and twirled me around to face them.

"Serena, glad to see you darling!" a familiar voice chirped.

I felt my stomach groan in displeasure. "Aunt Thora? What the hell are you doing here?"

This was not a good sign. Not at all.

She responded with a hush tone. "Oh you know, just the usual. I've come to crash the party."

Crash the party? Oh no...

Before I could react, Hanabusa had me by the arm too. He looked caught between happy to see her and unhappy to see her.

"Thora, as much as I like seeing you here, I have to question your motive," he greeted suspiciously.

Aunt Thora giggled. "You'll see soon!"

She took Hanabusa by the hair, which caused me to look down at her feet. Yup, she was floating above the ground. After all, she was technically too short to actually just grab him by the hair. "I like you. I like you lots, Hanabusa. But I have to promise you that if you hurt her in any way possible…they will never find you."

And after that friendly exchange, she released him and faced me.

"You're going to want to leave in five minutes," she hinted, winking. "Ta ta now!"

The short vampire ran into the mass of taller vampires and blended in. I groaned. It was times like these I hated short people-I can never find them.

"What did she mean 'leave in five minutes'?" Hanabusa questioned me, eyes flashing alarmingly.

I opened my mouth to answer but was interrupted.

"That's Thora for you, cheery even when giving out death threats," Yagari-sama said, appearing next to us suddenly and I was momentarily distracted.

"What's going on? Why is she here?" Hanabusa was uneasy.

"Did she say anything to you, Serena?" the hunter turned to me, a bit more composed.

"Fuck! She said she was-"

****

The roof caved on top of us, the windows exploded into shards of glass, and everything became dark. Something really heavy was on top of me, threatening to bury me alive. I began choking on the dust and particles that had been forced into the air. I tasted my blood and forced myself to swallow, causing myself to shiver.

_Gross. God damn Thora and her stupid explosives!_

I was abruptly yanked from underneath the debris and brought back to the surface.

"UGH! Serena! I told you to leave in five minutes!" I heard Aunt Thora's scowl.

"Oh sure." I coughed to clear my throat, seeing doubles of her. "Cause that's plenty of time to get away, you fucking lunatic."

She didn't take offense and continued to rush me along. "Well, your boyfriend and mentor are already on the move so let's get going!"

Already on the move? What?

She forced me to stand but I only staggered on my feet. Once I could managed to stand straight without falling face first, I spun around to slap her.

"Are you fucking crazy?" I snapped, slurring my words. "You could have killed us all!"

Aunt Thora didn't react to the slap. "You're wasting time."

I felt the blood within me boil. "What the hell is going on? Was this entire thing planned?"

"Yes and no," she answered vaguely.

"I'm going to kill you," I growled.

"Later. We have a school to rescue and a mother to hunt down."

My head was spinning. I felt like my skull had a crack in it. Everything was going in and out of my ears, and I couldn't understand anything. "What?"

"Oh! The school is being under attack, you idiot! And that's not the only problem! Your mother has finally lost her mind! She's not in control anymore!"

I paused, blinking. I couldn't help but repeat my question. "What?"

"Serena!" She snapped at me, hating to waste time to explain it to me. "This entire gathering was a cover up! Notice how your fellow hunter is not here? He left when you made your appearance so he could sneak away to kill your mother. And the Bokyo clan decided this was the best moment to underhand you!"

"Would you stop yelling," I growled again, wincing at her volume. "Which hunter is gone? Is that what you meant by on the move?"

She threw her hands up in the air. "Forget it! I'll just meet you at the school!"

And with that, she vanished. My vision was too blurry to keep up with her speed. I stumbled and fell back onto the debris, which had been a part of the roof. I felt blood drip down from the gash that was on my forehead and slide down to my chin.

"Well, she left in a hurry," Chairman Cross muttered, wrapping my head with a white piece of cloth. "Are you feeling all right?"

I shook my head slowly as to not mess up my brain. "When did you get here?"

"I tried to get here as fast as I could, but not fast enough," he grudgingly mumbled. He placed one arm around me and lifted me up. "I assume she didn't tell you everything judging your dazed look."

"Ah…what?"

"You need to lie down. I'll take you to my office. Just promise that you'll stay in there."

"No, I need to know. She mentioned Mom," I argued stubbornly.

He hesitated. "Your mother has become a Level E."

I inhaled sharply. "What?"

He ignored my question. It didn't matter. "It's why Kaito disappeared after he saw you. It was his signal to leave."

"Zero sent him?" I snarled. I was going to kill them both.

"No, Kaito went without anyone telling him to. You have to understand Kaito, he is a ruthless hunter. He wasn't going to leave this task to you."

I didn't give a diddly squat if he was a ruthless hunter—he was hunting my mom! I felt new strength in me as my anger burned at dangerous peaks. I stood up and removed the cloth from my forehead, realizing the wound had already healed. I was slowly becoming immune to my aunt's crazy toxic bombs.

"What's the fastest way to America? Because I highly doubt Kaito took a plane," I said coolly.

"Kaito has his own means of transportation so I don't know how he got to-"

"Would you just tell me if there was a faster way there!" I was impatient.

"Well, your Aunt Diana could teleport you."

I groaned. "And how long would it take me to find her?"

"Not long, considering she's at the school," he answered and I started to make my way back to the school.

I blinked. That's right! The school! I faced him as I pulled out the Bloor Star.

"What's going on at the school?" I was confused. I had been at the reunion. Why was the Bokyo clan attacking the school?

"Hajime sent his clan members to the school," he stated as we sped up. "He's creating an opening, Serena. I think he hopes that with all the chaos going on, he'll be able to get you alone. So don't do anything-"

CRAP AN EGG! KIREN'S IN DANGER!

I didn't hear the last part of what he was saying, I was too busy charging.

* * *

True to his word, it was a chaotic mess. The academy's roof was on fire, some of windows had been busted open, and there was blood all over the ground. My face was greeted with the heat of the flames because of the wind—where the hell was the wind coming from? I took a stepback, bewildered.

"I have to get to my office!" Chairman Cross told me. Not to my surprise, he had managed to keep pace with me. "Hajime is probably looking through the records."

I was going to ask what the hell for, but it didn't matter. I've come to realize that vampires always had an agenda.

Students were running everywhere like lambs being herded by the wolves, scrambling to get away from the random Level E vampires chasing after them.

The Chairman placed a hand on me. "Can I trust you to take care of the students and stay away from the Bokyo clan?"

"I'll take care of the students, no problem. Staying away from the Bokyo clan-problem. I don't go looking for them. They always find me," I told him.

"I'll tell that to Thora. She'll want more of them to kill anyway," he said, rolling his eyes. "And I'll send Diana to you. She'll help you get to America."

"Thanks!" I shouted as he departed, swinging the Blood Star over my head as a Level E vampire ran my way. I walloped her on the head, hearing the cracking of her skull and watched as blood splattered everywhere. The rest of her body combusted into dust.

"Serena!" I heard a familiar voice scream in terror. "Help!"

I glanced at my right to see a muscular Level E vampire holding Shizune by the throat, forcing her to expose her vulnerable neck. Beside her on the ground was Miss Skunk, or what was left of her. Her body had turned a pale white, almost bluish and her eyes were rolled up. Two puncture wounds were on her neck. She had been drained dry.

Shizune's navy blue eyes were shedding tears, filled with horror and panic. She had seen me crush the skull of the previous Level E.

"Please! Help!" she shrieked.

The Level E male vampire was watching me, appearing to be debating whether or not he wanted to fight me. I frowned. This wasn't good. Level E vampires don't normally show intelligence.

After a few seconds, he decided I might make a better meal and he released Shizune. Shizune fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Shizune when I tell you to-"

"I can't move," she cried, hysteria in her voice, "he broke my legs moments before you came."

Well this complicated things. This meant I had to calculate the exact amount of force I wanted to use so that the Blood Star wouldn't kill her as well.

But I was never any good at that.

The Level E vampire licked his upper lip, revealing bloodstained fangs. He flexed his toned arms and cracked his knuckles.

_Yup. This was definitely not in the manual. _

He charged at me like a bull and I dug my feet into the ground to brace myself. I swung the Blood Star at his torso—while the impact did create a huge gaping hole, the force of it caused me to lose my grip. I went tumbling down with the ex-human, but luckily I was on top or else his weight would have crushed me. I jumped off of him to retrieve the Blood Star but he seized my left ankle and threw me against a tree.

I screamed, feeling pain shoot up my spine. I was beginning to see little black dots parade in front of my eyes.

All of the sudden someone's really foul smelling breath was in my face. I rolled onto my side before he could bite my nose off and kept rolling until I could reclaim the Blood Star. I cracked my back as I stood, gripping the Blood Star tightly. On the bright side, I was further away from Shizune so I wouldn't accidentally kill her. On the dark side, I wasn't anywhere near her to keep her safe from the other ex-humans.

I broke the ground with the Blood Star, allowing the blast to crack the ground with its force and create a fissure large enough that the ex-human fell into it. I smirked as he realized he was trapped between the earths. With another blow to the ground, his body crumbled like sand. Either they were getting easier to kill, or I was getting better at this.

I rushed back to Shizune who was still crying, but this time in pain. I gently tried to pick her up but she kept screaming at me to stop.

"I can't just leave you here, you idiot!" I snapped. "I have to take you to someone!"

"Leave me!" she screamed dramatically. "I just want to die!"

I grumbled under my breath. "Shut the fuck up you weak bitch. Your legs are just broken. Now I'm going to pick you up so don't squirm, and I'm going to take you to someone who can help."

She shrieked loudly into my ears as I carried her but she didn't squirm. My eyes scanned the area, careful of the other ex-humans appearing and shushed her every time we had to hide until they were gone. I was glad that as a vampire hunter I could sense them, but they could not sense me. It made avoiding them so much easier.

"Serena!" an alarmed male voice shouted, grabbing my attention.

"Yagari-sama! Take her! I don't know what to do with her!" I told him.

He gently removed her from my arms. "Serena, you really have to be careful. You shouldn't even be here. Where are your guards?"

"My guards? What are you talking about?"

He scowled and I could see him doing a mental head slap. "Serena, do not leave yourself isolated. You're the real target here."

I still wasn't catching on. "What do you mean?"

"Hajime knew he wouldn't be able to attack you at the reunion since you were guarded by the Kurans and the hunters. He sent his clan members to invade the school hoping that we would rush to save the school and leave you unprotected in the rush, which would have happened if your father hadn't planned for this," he began to enlighten me. "Your father called upon your mother's clan to protect you, hence why you saw Thora. She's supposed to be protecting you...ugh, the trigger-happy moron is probably off exploding things."

"Yeah, she kind of ditched me after she pulled me out of the debris," I stated, hearing him mutter 'damn maniac' under his breath.

"Hello! Girl in pain here!" Shizune shouted to force Yagari-sama to look down at her, which he did for a second and then returned to glare at me.

"Find yourself a partner and don't go anywhere alone, Serena."

"Chairman Cross gave me the task of helping the students," I said.

"Then stay with the students." He turned around to take care of Shizune. I wouldn't be surprised if he dumped her somewhere just to get rid of her.

I began roaming the school grounds in search of more students, taking out the Level E vampires that approached me. I know, I know. I was doing exactly what Yagari-sama told me not to do, but I didn't run into anyone I knew. Just the stupid ex-humans.

So I figured that the stronger vampires were all in the school, fighting the nobles.

I was horrified by the state of the school. Granted, the fire on the roof had been replaced by a smooth, solid layer of ice-I could bet who pulled that stunt. Yet the blood was really starting to get to my head. The smell was clogging up my nostrils and making me very uneasy. It wasn't long till I spotted Asura being cornered by a seven foot tall vampire, and just as I was about to bash its skull he turned around to catch the end of the Blood Star.

He lifted the Blood Star up, causing my feet to dangle in the air and I took in a deep breath when I noticed lime green eyes.

He was a lanky Bokyo with big, round eyes and short but puffy black hair. His fangs came down to his chin, which made me wonder how he could eat his prey. He was wearing a clown outfit and clown makeup. I was having a hard time taking him seriously since he had the red nose. I just wanted to squeeze it to see if it would make a squeaky noise.

"It's more polite if you introduce yourself first," he said gruffly. "My name is Midori."

"Yeah, and I'm about to stick this ten inches up your ass," I snapped.

I kicked his leg, using the momentum to remove the Blood Star from his hands. I swiftly ducked to avoid his punch and thrusted the Blood Star into his ribs but I didn't hear anything crack. I stepped backwards as I heard him roar with laughter.

"You should know your opponent's abilities before you attack them," he grinned. "I have bone manipulation."

This guy must not be the brightest of the bunch. I mean who the hell tells their enemy their talent? "Yeah, thanks for the info."

I sprinted passed him and then moved to his left when he took a swipe at me. I turned around just in time to get an opening to his chest and struck his heart with the Blood Star, causing everything to blow up. I coughed to clear my throat, making a disgusted face as I realized I might have accidentally swallowed a piece of his flesh when he blew up. I sighed. He was definitely the most painless Bokyo member that I killed, but I really do think he wasn't entirely all there in the brain department. When my hearing returned I noticed someone clapping. I found Aunt Thora sitting next to a passed out Asura, wearing a proud grin on her face.

"I can always count on you to attract trouble," she said, putting her hands on her hips.

"What did you do to her?" I frowned, spotting the hidden needle in her pocket.

"What did I do?" she blinked innocently. "I haven't done anything."

"Bull shit. Did you poison her?"

"Poison her? Don't be ridiculous. I just put her to sleep," she chuckled.

"AH HA! I so called it!"

Aunt Thora narrowed her eyes at me. "You're becoming a sneaky little devil."

"I learn from the best," I countered.

She picked Asura up, throwing over her shoulder. "Come on now, we have to go find Diana, which will probably take a while."

"Why?"

"Because she hates my guts," she replied with her usual perky self. "So she spends most of her time making sure that I don't find her, and she's really good at hiding herself...considering that she's a tracker, so she knows how to cover up her tracks."

"Why am I not surprised," I said. "But I thought her ability is teleportation?"

"Teleportation is her ability, tracking is just something she's good at. She's had years of practice."

"Well...then how are we going to find her?" I was almost scared to ask.

Thora shot me an unhealthy grin that made me hope that I never crossed her in the future. "Leave that to me!"

I mumbled under my breath. "And that's what I'm worried about. Wait, instead of going around and throwing bombs into random places...why don't you somehow force her to...I don't know...appear?"

I was really not up to watching body parts get blown into tiny bits.

I heard her gasp. "That's a brilliant idea! The best one you've had yet!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What are you trying to say?"

She ignored me as she took out two yellow glowing, transparent spheres and threw them onto the ground, and then stomped on them. The spheres broke, releasing a yellowish gas and I inhaped quickly to avoid breathing in whatever she was using.

"Relax," she told me. "It's not toxic."

Within seconds, a six foot brunette with angry blue eyes appear before me. She grabbed Aunt Thora by her throat and dangled her in the air, but Aunt Thora didn't seem to be irritated at all. In fact, she looked downright pleased with herself.

"Evenin' Diana," she squeaked out.

"You wretched little thing," Diana hissed, her face becoming violet. "How dare you use the scent of my beloved mate and child to lure me out here!"

Oh. So that's what the smell was.

"Knew it would work." Her eyes glittered with mischief. I glanced back and forth between the two vampires, noticing the death glare on Diana's face and the impish face of Aunt Thora.

"Um hello," I interrupted before they bloodied each other up. "I need a way to America."

Diana stared at me for a few minutes, taking in my appearance. Diana dropped Aunt Thora and stepped closer to me. Diana looked like she was in her early twenties. Her brown hair went down to her shoulders in gentle waves and her blue eyes were not oceanic like Hanabusa's, but more like Erica's ice cold blue. She moved with power and authority, which might be due to her becoming a parent. A pissed off mother was not pleasant at all.

"Red hair, the scent of a vampire...you're wearing your mother's necklace, I see." She spoke with an accent. I couldn't pinpoint where she was from, but it sounded Northern European. I touched the moon and sun fused necklace, feeling at peace. "I'm glad to have finally met the youngest member of our clan."

Diana gave Aunt Thora a spiteful glare. "Make sure that human is taken somewhere safe without a scratch on her, Thora."

"Why of course," she grinned.

Diana took a hold of my hand and the next thing I knew, my butt was on grass.

"Woah, I didn't even blink," I said in awe.

Diana wasn't paying attention to me, she was too busy studying the area to make sure it was safe. She was also muttering to herself.

"Aunt Diana?"

"Just call me Diana. Aunt makes me feel old," she ordered. "It's safe here. After all, the Bokyo clan are all at the school. I don't believe they know about your mother's current situation. I think we're actually in your backyard, judging by the scent of the family. You're not going to like what's inside the house though."

She was right. We were in my backyard. The grass was up to my knees, but I could see where I left my old softball and gym equipment. They were rusting since I hadn't bothered to take care of them. "What's wrong with the inside of the house?"

"That's for you to discover. I'm going to be staying here until you complete your task so you have a way back to Japan." She sat herself down in the grass.

"Okay...see you later."

I walked to the house, feeling the tickle of the tall grass against my bare legs and regreted opening the door. I was hit with a draft that took the scent of blood with it. I slammed the door shut, gasping for air as to clear my head.

"Yes. It's bad in there. And it only gets worse," she commented calmly.

Might as well face the music.

I plugged my nose and stepped into the house, biting my bottom lip to keep from making any noises. Blood was all over the furniture, the walls, in the sink...and I could have sworn I saw someone's intestines on the floor. I was fighting the urge to vomit-and then I found Mr. Tampon in the living room. His veins were pressing against his pale white skin, threatening to burst out. His mouth was partly open and his eyes had rolled up to the back of his head. Two puncture holes were on his neck and I found another pair of holes on his chest where she might have tried to eat his heart.

He had been drained dry.

"Well, it's always Romeo that dies first," I uttered. I made my way out of the house and gasped for air as I stepped out. And then I went through a whole new shock-my entire neighborhood was covered with blood, organs, and random body parts.

My mother was ruthless in her killings.

* * *

Yeah, yeah I know. I've been MIA for a while, but now that summer has started (final exams were last week! YAY)...I have more time. Until I get a job that is, but that shouldn't be as bad as homework, papers, exams, and the likes.

I put in a lot more detail, hence why the chapter is longer. And I tried to make this a darker chapter. Sorry for all the information coming out at once-I think this chapter might have been too fast paced, but that's how attacks usually happen-so quick that you can hardly register what's going on and/or there's too much going on.

The next chapter will be the last one. I can't decide whether I'm happy about it or not. I also haven't decided whether or not I want to write a sequel since I'm definitely leaving a lot of room for it...but time is an issue. And brain cells. Well, maybe I'll leave it up for a vote? Since I have about 80 people reading (give or take), if I get at least a half of readers stating they want a sequel, then I'll start writing it.

Till next time!


	27. The Queen of Ice

Chapter 27: The Queen of Ice

_My brain just did a gigantic mushroom cloud.  
_

No, seriously. I can't feel the top of my skull anymore.

I licked my lips, finding them dry and realized that my mouth tasted like cotton- like that time I had gone to the dentist and he stuck a needle to numb the pain so he could drill a hole into my bottom tooth. My stomach knotted and the nervous butterflies spread their wings, clogging my throat. I closed my eyes to focus on breathing since I was struggling to get air. My head began to spin, forcing me to lean against someone's car.

That was a bad idea.

When I reopened my eyes the first thing I saw was Mrs. Rangus's corpse, which sat in the driver's seat. My neighbor's head was tilted to the right, exposing the two puncture holes in her neck. Startled by her empty bulging eyes, I flew backwards in horror and hit the pavement hard with my butt. I quickly scrambled away on the palms of my hands as far as I could until my back hit a mailbox.

I puked on the lawn.

I don't know how long I took to recuperate, but after the shaking stopped I forced myself to return to the house. I could handle seeing Mr. Tampon dead. I hated his guts and had wanted to kill him myself. The neighborhood was a different story. These were people I grew up with...that babysat me, that drove me to work, that asked me about school... I stopped myself from crying and became angry. Where the fuck were the cops? The news? Why hasn't anyone noticed this massacre? This would have attracted attention by now!

_Unless..._

She must be attacking something much more important. What else would have their attention other than the crises of celebrities?

Plugging my nose, I grabbed the remote to the television. I stood by the doorway as I turned on the television but muted the noise. I didn't want to be disturbed by anyone screaming in terror. My stomach could only handle so much. I flipped to the channel where I knew the news would be broadcasting and there she was: On the screen was a helicopter flying around a woman with fiery red hair. This woman was standing on top of the roof of the Virginia State Capitol. The camera zoomed in on the red head, showing the state my mother was in. Her eyes were glowing red; her fangs were exposed and tarnished. Her nails had grown into sharp claws and patches of her skin were dangling from her muscles.

She was grinning, pleased with herself. She was waving at the camera, challenging the humans to approach her.

I turned on the volume, curiously wondering what the broadcaster was saying. A frightened male voice began sputtering, making it hard for me to decipher what the hell he was saying until an older woman, who sounded like she had more experience with terror, took over. The camera zoomed in on her and I quickly realized that the only reason she wasn't freaking out was because she was a vampire. Probably not a noble vampire, but a vampire all the same.

I had forgotten that vampire civilians could take any job without humans noticing what they really were. Her brown eyes didn't blink as she spoke. They were void of emotion and she just stared calmly into the camera. Her face, wrinkled free and solid as stone, had no expression. I had to force myself to remember not to take it personally that she wasn't showing any emotions. It wasn't her job to care about the Level E vampire.

It was mine.

"The deranged woman seems to be just standing after slaughtering all the S.W.A.T teams, but the government is sending in the National Guard-" I muted the television. I didn't want to know what Mom had done. I was probably going to see it in person sooner or later anyway.

I inhaled a deep breath, knowing what I needed to do before the government got a hold of my mother. I went through the back door and stepped into the backyard, noticing Diana was still sitting in the same place I left her. She looked at peace with her surroundings-as if the blood and gore of the neighborhood didn't bother her at all.

I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to scream "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

But my legs stopped cooperating with me before I could start screaming in hysterics and I met the grass face first.

Diana was immediately hovering over me, a crooked look on her face. Like she couldn't understand why I was on the ground. "Serena?"

I rolled over and placed a hand on my heart hoping to calm it. It was beating at an alarming rate.

I was wheezing. "I need...I need you to... teleport me...me to Richmond. Mom's... at the Virginia... State Capitol... building."

This made her frown. "She knows what she's doing. That's not a good sign."

I gave her a questioning glare. I really hate vague people. Especially right now.

Diana stood, brushing off the dirt that had collected on the bottom of her pants. "As you are aware, Level E vampires do not normally express intelligence. They only think about blood. For your mother to make it all the way to that particular building means her brain is still functioning, and she plans who she wants to kill."

"That doesn't make any sense! If that were the case she wouldn't have killed the whole neighborhood! She loved this place more than I did!" I argued, throwing my arms in the air dramatically.

"That is not what I meant," Diana countered calmly. "Think about it, Serena. Why else would she have gone to the Virginia State Capitol? Not only did your mother want the government to get involved, she also exposed vampires to the human public. The purebloods and noble vampires normally have this kind of thing under control. They can erase or replace the memory of small groups of humans, but they cannot do a whole nation."

"Then what's going to happen?"

"That's not important right now," she said. "What you have to ask yourself now is how you are going to kill her while the nation is watching."

Fuck. I didn't even think about that.

I groaned, using my hands to squish my face together in frustration. "I'll...come up with something."

She raised an eyebrow at me in disbelief but held her hand out. "Let's go."

I took her hand, this time noticing the background blend and squeeze together. My lungs felt like they were on fire, but thankfully it only lasted about thirty seconds. We were in one of the many streets of Richmond, quite aware of the cars that were crushed and piled on top of one another. Some of the street poles were missing so parts of the streets were dark. We were a few miles away from all the chaos so I could hear the helicopters, the screams, and the numerous voices broadcasting. People were either running away from the commotion or running to it out of curiosity.

_To those running to the commotion: Dumb-fucks._

"I was wondering when I was going to see you." Kaito was sitting on top of the roof of one of the permanently parked cars. His legs were far apart in a relaxed position and his hands were in his pockets. He had a blank expression on his face as he looked me up and down. "You should have changed into your prefect clothes."

My first instinct was to take out the Blood Star and bash his head in vigorously, but I held my composure. I couldn't lose my temper here. Too many things could go wrong.

I faked a smile. "Isn't it my luck that you haven't been drained of blood yet."

He ignored me, turning his face to the direction of the helicopters. "Richmond...it is the most populated, tightly constructed cities in Virginia. This city rarely has open spaces, making it harder for prey to escape...hmmm...did you know that the year before you enrolled at the academy it had been attacked by a pureblood?"

I narrowed my eyes. "So what?"

"You're not the least bit curious as to why your father opened the school back up? Or why he allowed the vampires to continue to go to his school?" he scoffed. "You're more stupid than I previously believed."

I snapped. "Why the fuck does it matter? He's already done it. I can't change that. I can't focus on something I have no control over."

"You're the reason it was reopened. You see...the Kurans were using you as bait," he answered, watching me carefully.

Diana visibly stiffened beside me, causing me to believe he wasn't lying.

"Go on," I told him, now curious. I always had a hunch the Kurans had an agenda. "Since you seem so interested in telling me."

"I just want to see your reaction," he smirked.

I folded my arms and gave him a cocky glare. "Well? Dish out."

"After the attack on the school, the purebloods scattered themselves all over the globe. They don't trust each other like they used to, or rather, they don't trust the Kurans. Kaname Kuran, specifically," he began to explain, arrogance in his voice. "Some of the purebloods believe that the Kurans aren't fit to lead them simply because they don't agree with their ideals, but they can't openly oppose them. They searched for a leader to confront the Kurans, and they came across Hajime Bokyo."

"This would mean that Chairman Cross was persuaded by Kaname Kuran to allow Serena to enroll into the academy." Diana's voice was cold and her frosty eyes had reduced to dangerous slits at the vampire hunter.

"Precisely. Granted that the Chairman probably just wanted to see his daughter and make amends, the Kuran had other plans," he stated, still smirking. "He used Serena to lure out Hajime, knowing that she posed as a threat to Hajime. Hajime reacted, sending his own great granddaughter Kaede to investigate the school...knowing that doing so also meant risking Kaede's life at the hands of the Kuran."

_A pawn in a game of chess. _

I growled. "How did you come across this information?"

He sneered. "If you were intelligent enough you would have figured it out on your own. Analyzing your enemies and investigating them are key priorities of being a vampire hunter."

_Control your temper. Control your temper. Control your temper. Control your temper._

_God. Damn. It._

I bit my bottom lip hard. "Why did you want me to know?"

"Because I hate purebloods," he declared bluntly. "And I know you share the same sentiments."

"Don't compare me to yourself, asshole. Just because I don't trust them doesn't mean I despise them." Okay, I was lying. I did despise purebloods. However, I wasn't going to kill one just because I wanted to.

He must have known I was lying because he had the guts to stand inches from my face. "You've joined the Hunters' Association."

"Only to become stronger. Not for your fucked up ideals," I snarled, this time removing the Blood Star from my back.

"Are you going to attack me? The news will turn their cameras on you." He reminded me that there were other people here.

I got in his face, jabbing my index finger into his chest. "I'm not here to fight you, moron! I'm here for my mother so don't you go stealing my thunder! She's the sole reason I began training myself!"

"Claiming her as your prey?" he laughed mockingly.

"I'm not a predator," I said coldly.

"Everyone is a predator when they hunt someone down," he told me.

"This would mean that vampire hunters are predators too," I argued.

"And I admit that some of us are."

"Then you're no better than a pureblood," I hissed.

He folded his arms over his chest in defiance and tossed his brown hair so it was out of his eyes. "You can't deny what you are, Serena."

"Maybe you don't understand how a family works, Kaito," I spat at him. "She gave me life so I'm the only one who can take hers."

He grinned callously. "How touching."

"That's enough," Diana announced herself over us, grabbing Kaito by his collar. Surprisingly, he didn't struggle within her grasp. He just flashed her an angry glare.

She gave me a dutiful look. "We will create a distraction so you can complete your task."

Their bodies began to blur like a fuzzy picture, becoming nothing but smudges in my vision and within seconds they vanished. I didn't know how far they teleported but it couldn't have been too far because the next thing I knew there was a thunderous explosion, causing the street below my feet to vibrate and the piles of cars to fall apart. I assumed that Diana was battling Kaito somewhere. This created a new uproar of terrified screams and the people who were surrounding Mom began to disperse. Once the massive crowd started to thin out, Mom spotted me.

I don't know how she saw me, or how I managed to know that I had been found, but despite the distance between us we knew each other's location. Maybe because we were related and could sense each other? Who knows. It didn't really matter. I was too busy blocking her deadly claws from my face with the Blood Star to really care. I shoved her off with brute force and she bounced until she was standing on the wall. Sideways. She tilted her head, luminous red eyes gleaming, and grinned in recognition.

"You know who I am, don't you?" I asked in a hushed tone.

She laughed outrageously, keeping the same Cheshire cat grin. "Do you know who I am?"

Her voice shocked my nerves like electricity. It was low, raspy and diabolical. Mom was gone. She was already dead. The beast in front of me only had her appearance, possessed her body, but this was not my mother.

I tightened my grip on the Blood Star. "I did once."

I sprinted forward to attack her but she dodged my blow by tilting her body to the right of the Blood Star and she hung in air. I stared at her in surprise and she took that opening to grab me by the shoulder, digging her claws so deeply into my flesh that I couldn't squirm away unless I wanted to lose a shoulder. In fact, I was pretty sure she got my bone. She lifted me up as I screeched in pain and began jumping from one rooftop to another.

I ignored the blood that poured from my shoulder and clenched my teeth together.

"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?" I shouted at her, ordering myself not to look down.

We were up really high. Why the hell did she have to choose tall buildings to jump to and from? Normally I wasn't scared of heights but I knew that from this height I wouldn't just break a few bones if she dropped me.

I'd die.

I gulped, swung the Blood Star with my left arm and whacked the left side of her head. She let out a howl, throwing me and luckily I collided with the solid cement of a roof butt first. Unfortunately I kept rolling until my left hand grabbed the edge of the roof, leaving me dangling. I gulped again, realizing just how tiny the cars looked.

_Okay, Serena. Get your fat ass on the roof!_

I used whatever strength I had in my arms to pull myself up onto the roof, and blinked a few times to readjust my mind since the rolling around had disoriented me. I looked down to see the blinking sign of a hotel.

"Great. At least we're away from cameras," I muttered to myself.

I glanced down at my shoulder to see the wound. Sure enough, there was bone visible but strangely I didn't feel anymore pain. I wasn't sure if that was good or bad sign. I didn't read anything about Level E vampires having toxic claws, but I didn't want to rule it out. Mom wasn't a normal Level E vampire. She already had vampire blood in her, so maybe some section of her brain was still working like Diana had mentioned. Though...the section of her brain that was working seemed to only be malevolent. A part of the real vampiric side?

I was telling myself that the adrenaline in my body had numbed the pain.

She charged at me and her head smashed into my stomach. We fell off the roof together at an incredible fast pace and I realized that she was planning on crushing me against the pavement. I took out the Blood Star, struck it against the side of the building and one of the spikes got stuck in one of the railings of a balcony. We were left dangling had her arms wrapped tightly around my waist, digging into my sides with her claws. And then she nuzzled my stomach with her face. It didn't give me a comforting feeling. In fact, I was creeped out. The hairs on my neck stood, warning me. She abruptly sunk her teeth into my stomach, causing me to screech as I felt the sharpness of her fangs. She shook her head excitedly, ripping my insides.

I felt like an animal being gutted.

I tore out the Blood Star from the rail and fractured her skull by whacking her in the head. I was freed from her but we were both falling again. Fortune must be smiling at me for now because I landed inside of a balcony this time. I groaned loudly, rolling over to force myself to sit up and clutched my stomach as I watched her continue to fall. She landed with a loud bang, denting the ground. The cracks in the sidewalk outlined her body. Her leg had landed in a twisted angle like her left arm did, and she was looking up at me with an impish grin. Her red eyes were dull for a mere second. Then she blinked and they became red again. She stood confidently with a toothy smirk on her face as her body fixed itself. Once all the bones were back in place, she started to crawl sideways on all fours on the hotel wall, moving up to join me.

A cold shiver went down my spine.

I used the Blood Star to break the sliding doors and stepped into the bedroom. I headed to the bathroom first to check how serious my stomach injury was and was astonished to see that the wound wasn't as bad as I thought. My stomach had a fist-sized hole but it wasn't deep. I was bleeding a lot but at least my organs were still intact. I ran to the front door, down the hall and went straight to the stairway, racing down the stairs. I knew she wasn't going to attack anyone in the hotel since I was her primary target. She had a taste for my blood now.

My mind raced and I began to feel light headed. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know where to go. Kaito had been right about Richmond. It was a tightly constructed place with little to no room to run or hide from an enemy. I took three deep breaths to steel my nerves and gently caressed my stomach to ease the pain.

"There's a fountain in front of the hotel," a voice said in my head.

I froze, one hand clinging onto the Blood Star and the other gripping tightly onto the rail to keep me from toppling over. "Damon?"

No response.

"Damon? _Damon_? _DAMON_?" I cried out, panicking slightly.

This time I got a loud war cry from sixteen floors up and the ex-human's face popped over the railings. She laughed hysterically at me, climbing down the stairs faster than I could blink.

"Shit!" I hurried to the lobby.

Ignoring the people asking me what I was doing there and if I was okay, I pushed against the revolving doors just as the ex-human busted through the stairway door. And I saw it: A brightly lighted, circular fountain that was a size of a large pool. There were statues of tiny kids in the middle of the fountain. They were playing in the water, spitting water from their mouths. Their facial expressions showed that they were laughing and having fun.

I jumped into the fountain, hissing when the freezing water came up to my knees. Goose bumps tickled the skin on my legs and arms. I spun around, Blood Star ready in my hands and faced the ex-human.

_Think Serena. Don't repeat the bus accident. You don't want innocent people to die. Calculate how much strength you need._

I inhaled deeply, tightening my grip on the Blood Star and focused.

I could do this. I've trained myself to do this. And I wasn't going to let anyone else kill her. I was ready for this. This was what I wanted.

I brought the Blood Star up, tilted at a forty-five degree angle. I felt the my arms pulse with strength, the burning sensation in my lungs and the ache in my muscles.

I watched her shove people aside, rip the revolving door out and crawl outside on all fours. Her red eyes were glaring, attempting to claim me as her victim. She growled at me, drool dripping from her lips as her mouth began to foam. She roared before she began galloping towards me and the moment she was precisely two inches from me, I slammed the Blood Star into her chest with everything I had. The Blood Star vibrated in my hands, causing me to drop it. Her last shriek of pain was not lost in the deafening blast as the water from the fountain sprayed twenty feet into the air. The bottom of the fountain and the ground around it trembled, breaking apart. The fountain was destroyed, replaced by an enormous crater. I fell on my butt and covered my head with my arms as everything around me disintegrated.

Everything began to swirl around me like a violent twister. Water, debris, blood...everything kept spinning...

And then everything stopped moving. Everything became quiet.

I peeked out from my arms to see that the hotel was mostly untouched. Only the front and the first three floors suffered damage, lacking a wall and the windows had shattered. However, the people were safe. In shock, but safe. Water came back down like droplets of rain, soaking me thoroughly. I realized that there wasn't a body in front of me. Not even a cloud of dust that reeked of burned flesh, which was what I normally got when I annihilated a ex-human.

She was gone. Just like that. I didn't have anything to bury or mourn over. Just memories. Horrible memories I knew I was going to have nightmares about later in life.

The Blood Star was...somewhere. I didn't have the strength to look for it. In fact, I didn't have the strength to do anything. I had focused the remaining of my strength into killing her but constricted the blow of the power to a limited area of attack so I wouldn't harm anyone else. It took a lot more brain and muscle power than I had realized. And to be honest, I was surprised I hadn't died in that explosion too. I definitely thought the force of the explosion would have cost me something.

An arm, a leg...my brain.

I was covered head to toe in my own blood, and most of the injuries were going to leave scars this time. I sprawled myself out on the broken, cratered ground. I was wet, exhausted and completely out of energy. I was breathing harshly, coughing to clear my lungs. Honestly, I think something pierced it. I digress though. I didn't want to think about it right now. I just wanted sleep.

My limbs relaxed...my heart slowed down...tears ran down my cheeks...

And I blacked out.

* * *

The sound of my breathing woke me. It was slow and steady, but there was something attached to my face. My hands reached out to gingerly touch my face, feeling the soft fabric of the oxygen mask. I paused for a few seconds, realizing I was in a hospital. I continued to feel around, finding myself hooked up to IVs that were most likely feeding me while I was unconscious. When I finally opened my eyes I couldn't see anything, so I assumed it was night and someone hadn't bothered flipping on the light.

There were hushed voices around me. Three males, two females, and only one sounded human. I couldn't decipher what they were saying due to the fact that they were whispering. I felt a smile on my lips, recognizing the gentle tone of my father. Still, I had to wonder how long I had been in here.

"Ooooh look at this! She's awake!" Thora squealed as she entered the room. I felt her grab my left hand and held it gently to her face. "I'm so happy I could cry!"

"Thora! You're hurting her!" the chairman's voice cut in, alarmed. He rushed over, sending a little whoosh of air into my face. I shivered in response.

"Oh! We can probably remove this now!" Thora said with glee, taking off my mask while the chairman protested weakly. "Oh shush! She's fine! Go and tend to your collapsing school! Your students still need guidance!"

"Can..." I rasped, "someone turn on the lights? I can't see." Silence met my ears. "Hello?"

"Well...umm..." Thora started.

"Do you want to tell her?" the chairman sounded irritated. "Since you obviously wanted to take over?"

"Well, it's not my fault she named me her guardian!" Thora snapped. "Chiara obviously believed I would make a better caretaker!"

"You're insane, woman!" the chairman barked. "And she would have been left in my care if she had forgiven me!"

"Guys...I'm still here and I can still hear," I grumbled. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Serena, sweetie," the chairman began.

"The light_ is_ on. You've temporarily lost your eye sight," Thora interrupted bluntly, causing the chairman to sigh loudly. "But don't worry! You'll get it back in no time!"

For some reason, I wasn't surprised or even the slightest bit irritated. A part of me figured it was because I was under the influence of a lot medication. The other part of me still believed that explosion should have killed me. To get away with just my eyesight screwed up was like receiving a gentle tap on the hand after getting caught stealing rather than being tossed in jail. I was lucky, in a fucked up way.

The irony of it. I had to lose one parent to gain the other.

"Serena?" the chairman asked, concerned.

"I just lost my mother and you're fretting over my eyesight," I chuckled, and pain squeezed my stomach. They fell silent, both unsure on how to respond to my words. "Who else is here?"

"One eye and your boyfriend," Thora replied. "One a lot more fussy than the other."

"Miss Kiren is also standing outside. We've all been worried," the chairman answered.

I smirked, knowing which was fussing more. "Tell them I'm okay. I just want to be alone..."

"Alone?" they said in union, and from the silence I could tell they were glancing at each other, wondering if it was a good idea.

"Oh please. As if I could do anything stupid from my position," I said, adding my next line when they weren't reassured. "I'm not moving from my bed, promise. I wouldn't make it very far."

"Okay. Just holler if you need anything," Thora said and I could hear her drag my father out.

I took a deep breath and squeaked when pain shot up my spine. I groaned, knowing it was going to take me forever to heal. Once again, stuck in a place I didn't want to be. The door creaked and closed, causing me to face the noise. My nose was greeted with the cool scent of winter.

I sighed tiredly. "I told them that-"

"I know," Hanabusa cut me off. He sounded exhausted. "You want to be alone."

"And yet you're here." I forced a smile.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said.

I sighed again, knowing he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. "How bad am I this time?"

"Well, you're temporarily blind," he answered. "The doctors stitched up your shoulder and stomach, but they said that the injury on the stomach would leave a scar. Thankfully though, you'll be able to walk in two days so you won't have to remain in this room. You'll have to have someone guide you until your vision comes back."

"And the school?"

"Currently being rebuilt." I heard him sniff the air and make a grunt.

That's right. Hospitals usually reeked of old vomit, dried up blood, and dying humans.

"Why the hell is it being rebuilt? The students are either dead or leaving for the next country over," I frowned.

"True that some of the students are dead...their bodies are being collected right now by the police and parents. The remaining students have either chosen to stay or transfer," he stated calmly, pulling up a seat. "And before you ask why they would want to stay, we've been told that they felt as if the school would be a safer place for them."

I laughed bitterly. "A safer place?"

"Hajime got what he wanted so he won't be back unless it's to kill you. Besides, it's better to be in the school than the outside world. At least they know who the beasts are while they attend this school." His voice was cold.

I twitched at his words, anger beginning to boil in my blood. "You knew, didn't you?"

I could imagine his face frown in confusion because of the tone in his voice. "Knew about what?"

"You're the Kuran's right hand man. Of course you knew that I was his _pawn_ in his plan. That I was being used to draw out the head of the Bokyo Clan because they were a threat to Yuuki." I licked my cracked lips, tasting the blood that crept out of the cracks.

I felt him stiffen beside me. "Yes, I did know."

My shoulders slumped, wishing he had lied to me instead. I laughed to cover the hurt. "So that's the truth, isn't it? Why you befriended me? Why you kept so close to me?"

"That isn't true Sere-"

"You vampires are all the same," I grumbled.

I heard the chair crash on the ground and felt the icy breath in my face. "Serena, you don't understand. I-"

"Oh well do enlighten me," I snapped.

He growled, grabbed my hands and forcefully pulled me closer to him. I yelped in surprise. "I was willing to do anything, _everything_, to protect you. Even if it meant keeping you in the dark. Even if it meant hurting your feelings in the process. I admit that I knew who you were before I even met you in person, but I wasn't expecting-"

"Serena-chan?" a feminine voice interrupted, silencing Hanabusa. "Oh sorry, I didn't know you-"

"It's okay, Kiren," I told her. "Hanabusa was just leaving."

I felt him exhale loudly, attempting to calm himself. He released my hands.

"But it looked like you-"

"Miss Darako," Hanabusa greeted her politely. Judging by volume, he was standing closer to the door now. "I hope your leg is healing rapidly."

"Oh yes, thank you. My leg feels better," she said and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Your leg? What happened to your leg?" I asked worriedly.

The door closed quietly, leaving me and her alone in the room. "They told me you couldn't see."

"Yeah but I'll get it back eventually. Now what's up with your leg?"

"My right leg was broken during that...invasion. I have crutches right now," she replied and carefully sat on the bed. "You should be nicer to him, Serena-chan."

I snorted in response.

"He loves you. He's been waiting for you for a long time." Her fingers gently tucked my hair behind my ears.

"How long have I been in here?" I changed topic, feeling uncomfortable with the subject.

"You've been in here for the past two weeks. Diana brought you to the chairman as soon as she no longer sensed your mother's presence," she said quietly. "Serena-chan, do you want to talk about...what happened?"

"What's there to talk about? I killed her. End of story," I mumbled, suddenly feeling like I had a rock clogging my throat.

Kiren gently patted me. "Okay."

It was quiet. I could hear the ticking of a clock, Kiren breathing in and out, and the annoying birds chirping outside the window. I reached out my hand, feeling the warmth of the sun that sneaked into the room. The warmth on my hands spread, filling up the gaps I wanted to hide away from people.

There was only one person I really wanted to be around. "Kiren?"

"Yes?"

"No offense, but could you get Chairman Cross for me?"

"Of course!" She hopped off the bed and I heard the wood of her crutches scrape the ground. The door opened and closed. And then opened again, slowly, and closed again.

I got straight to the point, knowing I didn't have much strength left. Sleep was beckoning to me. "I heard him...before I killed her."

He cleared his throat. "Him?"

I felt my eyes water and didn't bother to stop the tears from falling. My nose sniffled and my cheeks burned. "Damon. I heard Damon."

He was closer now. He was standing next to me. His hands were running through my hair.

"He's been taking care of me, you know? This entire time."

"Like a good brother always should." His voice shook.

I laughed softly, crying. "Just give me a hug Dad."

He didn't have to be told twice. He bent over, kissed me on the forehead, and enveloped me into his arms.

* * *

"Kiren, be careful of where you're stepping," I told her.

Even though I was the one who couldn't see, at least I didn't have crutches. I was worried that one of her crutches would get stuck in between rocks or something and she'd fall down on her face.

"Would you relax? I'm fine. I'm not the one who's blind," she chuckled.

"Are we almost there yet?" I was carrying my telescope, the blanket and whatever Kiren placed into my hands.

"Be patient," she huffed. "Almost."

The night was a little warmer than the night before. It was the beginning of March and school was out, so no rules. No prefect to bitch at us about us being outside while it was late. The vampires wouldn't have bothered us anyway. Takuma was keeping a very paranoid eye on us and Dad stalked us in the shadows whenever we went out. We were heading to Damon's grave, dressed up in our hoodies and sweat pants. Kiren wanted to stargaze, promising me she would tell me what she saw since I wasn't going to be able to see anything. I agreed to the field trip just because I wanted to escape the room Dad had locked me in. My shoulder had healed quickly in two weeks and three days, but the stitches around my stomach were taking its time. It was a chore to keep food down because of the pain. While I couldn't see, I could feel the bumpiness of the stitches that went around my belly button and led to the bottom of my ribs.

"Serena-chan, you stubborn oaf. You shouldn't move around so much!" Kiren complained.

"Why? Am I bleeding again?" I felt for any warm liquid.

"No, but if you keep this up you'll ruin the stitches again!"

I chuckled. "Stop worrying."

"Okay, okay. Just sit down. We're here," she said, taking the blanket from my hands.

A cool breeze caressed my face, sending my hair into a frenzy.

"I can't wait till I can see," I uttered with a smile on my face.

"What? You miss seeing my pretty face?" Kiren joked.

"Yes, yes I do," I smirked and she let out a joyous laugh.

Truth be told, I wanted to see because now I had someone to look up to. Mom was in the sky, and she and Damon were watching me just like I was watching them. They were both on the other side, waiting for me to join them. I felt around for Damon's tombstone, finding the cold rock to be flat and smooth. The grass around it was wet from melted snow. I smiled and closed my eyes, hoping that Damon could hear my thoughts.

_It's your turn to babysit her._

"Serena-chan, can I ask you something?" I heard Kiren shuffle around as she assembled the telescope.

"Shoot," I told her.

"What are you going to do now? Vampires are out in the public...the government is going crazy, hiring vampire hunters left and right..."

"Are you asking me if I'm going to start working for the government? Kiren, I haven't even graduated from high school yet."

"Yes but I heard that you were joining the Hunters' Association," she said. "Are you...are you going to hunt down the leader of the Bokyo clan?"

I sat quietly for a few seconds, pondering. "I will one day."

"You're not afraid?" she asked, draping her arms around my shoulders carefully.

I shrugged. "Strangely, no."

"What about your mother's death? Do you still not want to talk about it?"

I grabbed her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "I came to the conclusion that I need to live without regrets, without letting pain corrupt my judgment and without fear breeding in my heart."

"Why that sounds very philosophical of you," she giggled. "But that doesn't really answer my question."

"That's all I can give you for now."

"Well I'm glad 'cause I have a surprise for you," she said softly.

That's when I noticed the scent of winter and a very potent smell of a flower. I heard him clear his throat nervously as he helped Kiren to her feet. I felt the coldness of his skin as he sat down next to me, and felt how his hair tickled my cheek as he moved around to get more comfortable.

"I'll be right back," Kiren said and I could imagine her grinning.

"You sure it's safe for her to go off like that," I questioned the ice wielder once she was out of earshot.

"Takuma's out there too. She...kinda...planned this," he muttered.

I sighed. I should have known she was up to no good when she said she wanted to go out stargazing. I mean, honestly, stargazing with a blind person?

"What did you bring?"

"Stargazers," he answered, holding them in front of my face since I couldn't see. "They're your favorite flowers."

"That would explain the smell," I smirked and took the flowers from him. I placed them on top of Damon's tombstone.

"Did you know that stargazers mean that the soul of the departed has regained its innocence in death?" he asked.

"No, I didn't."

It was quiet. Not an awkward quiet, but I figured that he was probably uncomfortable. He kept shifting his weight, changing his sitting position, sighing, and messing with the telescope.

"I can't see anything," he complained.

"You're probably doing it wrong." I reached out to him with my hands, making him jump. "Relax. I'm just trying to find your face."

He sighed, placed my hands on his cheeks and waited for me to smack him. Or whatever violent thing he expected me to do since he probably believed I was still mad at him. I smiled, caressing his cheeks with my thumbs and felt him exhale through his nostrils. I leaned over closer to him, resting my cheek against his. I breathed in his scent, feeling more at home. I really have been holding out on him for too long. I had been too afraid that he was going to abandon me, almost forced the idiot to abandon the Kurans- his duty-to make him prove that he wasn't just using me for his own personal gain.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into his ear.

He stiffened at the sensation of my breath tickling his ear. I had to fight the urge to laugh. Maybe losing my eyesight wasn't so bad. "For what?"

"For making you wait." I left a trail of small kisses on his cheek until I got to his lips, causing him to go completely still. Contrary to my belief, his lips were warm. Warm and soft and tasted nothing like blood. I was so hungry to taste him that I almost forgot that I was supposed to just leave a peck. Laughing softly, I backed away until his hands stopped me from moving.

"What- what was that?" I didn't have to see to know that he was shocked.

"I love you too, you idiot. That's what that was about," I told him, ruffling his hair.

"But you-"

"Hanabusa, don't complicate this. Just enjoy it." I claimed his lips, nibbling shyly on his bottom lip until he opened up.

He was more prepared this time, and he took over for me.

* * *

I was in Dad's office, fingering his desk and files. My eyes scanned the files in my hands, reading over how many level E vampires there were. "I don't get it. What did he want then?"

"Hajime broke into my office to make a copy of my files," Dad responded, handing me some of his freshly made tea.

"What files?" I asked curiously.

"The Hunters' Association keeps track of its members, the family tree they come from, and the vampires that exist. This includes level E vampires," he answered, taking a break to sip his tea. He sat down in his comfortable chair. "Hajime wanted the files of our family tree."

I blinked. "Why?"

"Hajime is trying to remove all possible threats that exist in our family, this includes you and I."

I sat down next to him, frowning. "So you're saying that he's hunting down members of my family. That doesn't sound like anything new."

"No it isn't new, but it's new information for him since he now knows where you used to live in the United States. He knows where you used to go to school, where you worked, what people you befriended, and so on."

I scowled. "Do you think he'll go after Jade?"

"No," he said. "Jade's not in America."

"Then where is he?"

"He's with your Aunt Thora in China, training. Once he heard you were in the hospital and became Thora's dependent, he moved here. He said wanted to be more...involved with the vampire crises," he chuckled, pouring himself more tea. "Your mother always knew how to get attention."

"She didn't want humans to be left in the dark," I defended her.

"I wasn't saying that to be mean," he said softly.

"What's he training to be?"

"A bomb specialist."

_Oh god. _

He smiled playfully, noticing my grimace. "I don't know. Thora seems to like him."

"Why am I not surprised," I grumbled under my breath. "Well, what about you? What are you going to do with this school?"

"I've gotten requests to turn this place into a safe haven for humans and vampires now that vampires are out in the open," he said.

"I don't get it. The school was attacked. You'd think that they'd be more reluctant."

"The world is like a jungle, Serena, only it's more dangerous. In the jungle you know who the lion is and who the monkey is. However, in our society anyone can play the role of beast or sheep. The school clears up some of that, uniting the humans with the vampires to teach them about vampires and learn to recognize which vampires are harmful and which are not...and what to do in certain situations," Dad explained. "Yes, the school was once attacked but we're building it differently this time. We're making it safer and harder to invade."

"That sounds like a load of bullshit."

He sighed. "Serena-"

"I'm sorry but there are BODIES out there! What parent, in their right state of mind, is going to-"

"Serena, I'm trying to teach the world how to coexist with each other," he narrowed his eyes.

"Oh yeah, makes sense," I said sarcastically. "I mean take Jade for an example-being taught by a vampire to be a bomb specialist. Real pacifist."

"Exactly! A _vampire _teaching a _human_ to be a bomb specialist," he grinned. "And you're dating a vampire. Officially, I might add."

I felt my face flush. "The world doesn't see things like I do."

"Would you continue as a student and vampire hunter here?"

"I don't really have a choice, now do I?" I smirked. "I mean the head of the Hunters' Association is still here."

"Well. Sort of. You know Zero is graduating, right? He'll be taking his role as leader more seriously now, and won't be around the school unless there's a meeting."

"And there's always you to harass," I reminded him.

"Speaking of which, would you like to live with me?" he asked shyly. "I mean I know you can't return to America and-"

"I'd love to," I cut him off, saving him from his rambling.

He beamed at me. "Well that was surprisingly easy."

"Yeah, but this school-safe haven bullshit won't be. I have a feeling you won't have many students," I told him.

"I'll take what I can get," he said, shrugging.

"Just make sure they're not out to get me," I reminded him.

"Are you ready for your first training with the Hunters' Association?"

I smirked, putting my feet onto his desktop. "Of course."

"Getting a little arrogant, aren't we?" He tapped my feet and I placed them back on the floor.

"Not at all. Zero is going to kick my ass all the way back to Russia," I said, making him laugh. "But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy it. It'll make me stronger."

A little red haired boy once told me that ice was like snow- pure but harder to break. He named me the Queen of Ice. And I was going to be tough to break, right brother?

I smiled to myself.

* * *

Suntiger: And that's the end. Holy shit.

Sorry it took so long. My laptop died in a water accident. Ironic right? Since my first laptop caught on fire. I just have a magical way with computers. Anyway, I've been kidnapping my friend's laptop to finish this. I added a lot more detail, which is why it's soooo long. I'm still iffy on making a sequel. Mostly because I don't care about vampire knight. I've stopped reading the manga because I've lost interest in the characters. However, I might be persuaded to write as long as I don't have to follow the manga. One of my friends even suggested making a crossover (between vampire knight and kingdom hearts...but meh...that might be too much going on, and I've only recently started playing the game).

BTW, I left the kiss to the reader's imagination. I figured the romance would be a lot hotter in your minds than mine since I'm more of a goofball.

Oh, did you know that Hanabusa means petals of a flower? Heh heh.

Night folks!


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